The Reflection of a Soul
by Black Beyond
Summary: Lost in a mysterious world and tangled in a war not their own, Rei and Usagi try to stay alive. But as they burrow further into the war, Rei uncovers a deadly secret Usagi has been keeping for a very long time.
1. The Beginning

  
The Reflection of a Soul  
Black Beyond  
~'~  
  
THIS IS A TEASER. Under a working title, I'm posting this. It is a crossover between two of my favorite anime. I'm doing my absolute best to make this unique in most ways, so bear with me. Tell me what you think, because if I receive no feedback in two weeks I will take this down and you'll never see it again. Not a threat, but I'm just tired of posting second-rate crap that gets a total of five reviews for every one hundred pages.   
  
Have fun reading. Remember, this is just a teaser. If you tell me what you think of it, I'll chapter it and finish it. Since I'm through with Indifference and Haunting Mists and taken a backseat, I'm able to work on all my other fics in progress. This is a trial run.   
~'~  
  
  
  
  
"Dear God, you know it's pathetic when they can't even tell they've got two sailor senshi in thier own dimension. I feel almost insulted."  
  
"Shut up, Usagi! They might hear!"  
  
"Oh, you shut up." Usagi said irritably. "Admit it: you think this is stupid."  
  
"Usagi, if you don't shut up, I will rip these chains from the wall and kill you myself. Save the next enemy the effort." Rei said, straining against her binds, snarling at her leader.  
  
Usagi stared right back, dangerously calm.  
  
"If you could have gotten free, you would have done so by now." She said simply. She hadn't struggled a bit, but had done a lot of talking since they'd woken up. "And even if you could have eariler, you couldn't now. You've tired yourself out. Now, if they do free us, you'll be exhausted."  
  
Rei glared at her. "I am not exhausted." The rare display of logic from the blonde was startling. Rei knew that if they decided to attack she wouldn't stand a chance. "So what do you suppose we do? Sit? Wait for impending doom?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "Or talk. Talking's good."  
  
"Usagi, we don't even know where we are!"  
  
"We're in another dimension." Usagi stated the obvious, gesturing as best she could to the stone and linolium around them. "And who ever is holding us is called OZ."  
  
"Tht's not enough. We could be underwater, in a space shuttle,   
anywhere!"  
  
"We can't do anything, though." Usagi muttered. "I can't reach my   
henshin brooch. Can you?"   
  
Rei stretched, and found that her fingers were only just out of reach. "Almost! Damn, I can't--"  
  
Usagi reached over and kicked her teammate as hard as she could. Rei   
screamed and arched, her fingers closing around her henshin wand. She gave Usagi a dirty glare.  
  
"Thanks." She murmured. She held the wand tightly. "Should I just go ahead and henshin? Here?"  
  
Usagi raised her eyebrows. "Are you suggesting we wait until they burst in here with guns?"  
  
Rei held her wand up as best she could. "Mars Crystal Power, Make up!" She called, feeling her chains burn away in the intense inferno that gave her power.   
  
Usagi grinned as Sailor Mars stood up. The room, superheated from the transformation, was brighter than before. "Okay. Free me-- but please, don't singe the outfit. It's not like I can go home and change."  
  
Mars stared incrediously at her leader. "You want me to burn your handcuffs?"  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
"You're insane."  
  
"No, I hate being tied up."  
  
Mars took careful aim and sent a prayer to Ares. "Fire, Soul!" She cried. Usagi yelled as the handcuffs were melted, burning her wrists. She jumped up and didn't hesitiate for her brooch, for she could hear bootheels in the hallway. They'd set off a few thousand alarms... what could a few more hurt?  
  
"Moon Eternal, Make up!" She transformed in a flurry of feathers and light. She reached for her wand. "Let's hope we're in atmosphere, or at least in space." She said to Mars. "We can cope with those, but water is more Mercury's thing." She took aim. "Silver Moon Crystal Power, Kiss!"  
  
The wall exploded.  
  
Sailor Moon and Mars looked mildly shocked upon te beautiful landscape that surrounded them.  
  
Gunfire!  
  
Sailor Moon stumbled forward, clutching her shoulder, choking back the scream of pain. "Run!" She yelled to Mars, who had turned to kill the soldiers that had fired upon her princess. "We don't have time for this!" Using her good arm, she grabbed the senshi of fire and dragged her, running as only a senshi could, away from the compound that they could now see was enormous.  
  
"What kind of idiots are they," Mars wondered aloud, "to have placed the holding cells on the outside walls?" They were a mile away before they slowed down, confident any purserers were long ago left behind.   
  
Sailor Moon fell to her knees, clutching her shoulder. The uniform was stained red, and inspite the bumpy run, it had already begun to heal. But she'd lost quite a bit of blood. "We have to find some sort of shelter, Rei." She said weakly. "I can't endure as much as you or Makoto."  
  
Mars nodded. She took off one of her gloves and tore it into strips. "Dehenshin, Usagi-chan." She said softly. "I'll wrap it. We'll walk to the nearest house and see if they can help any."  
  
Sailor Moon let her transformation fade and watched, cynically, as Mars bandaged her arm. "It could take hours to get to the nearest house. We could be in the middle of no where. We don't even know if we're on earth!"  
  
Mars looked at her. "Well, the guys back there spoke Japanese. I'd say it's just a different earth. We'll try our luck. If push comes to shove, we'll find a tall tree."  
  
Usagi looked at her, slightly horrified. "I can't climb trees!"  
  
"You'll learn."  
  
"You're so mean to me!"  
  
"Don't start it, Usagi. Not right now."  
  
"I hate that youma. Youma aren't supposed to be able to open temporal passages. It's not right. This like a bad plothole in one of those b-rate movies." She poked her her shoulder and whinced. "And why was it you? Why couldn't it have been someone smart, like Ami? Or Makoto? She could have scared those soldiers."  
  
Mars glared. "Excuse me? If I hadn't had been unconcious I could have scared them off!"  
  
Usagi managed a weak grin. "Sure you could."  
  
"I could!"  
  
Usagi just shook her head. "Hey, isn't that a road?" She asked, her interest perking. "Run ahead a little and see."  
  
Mars oblidged quickly without even thinking about it. Usagi walked ahead patiently, and was met by a breathless Mars. "Yes, it is. Well, kind of." Rei looked at Usagi curiously. "How did you see it? It's just a dirt road."  
  
"Tree line was broken."  
  
Mars looked at the trees but couldn't see anything. Part of it may have been due to the fact it was past midnight, but still. "Anyway, there's a huge house. It's in use, I saw movement and a couple of lights were on. There's a   
huge army-type truck, but that's it."  
  
Usagi thought this over carefully. "At the worst, it could be more soldiers. Want to chance it?"  
  
Sailor Mars grinned and pulled one of her scrolls out. "Why not? I mean, I'm transformed. There's not a human yet that can take a senshi one on one." She glanced at Usagi. "Well, an unarmed human. In our world."  
  
Usagi nodded. "Exactly. Since I'm unarmed and injured, I'll go first. Stay back, hide yourself but be ready to attack." She moved forward.  
  
"Hey, Usagi?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"When did you get so tactical-ish?"  
  
"When we were teleported by an evil youma to another dimension."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Just wondering."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I'll stay back, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Roger that, Wilco."  
  
Mars watched as Usagi made her way towards the old fashioned house. She herself movedback behind a tree, watching from the corner of her eye, arms positioned to form her fire bow if anything even smelled wrong.  
  
Usagi knocked hesitantly at the door.  
  
She was exhausted, in a great deal of pain, and no matter what Rei thought, she had no idea what she was doing. She was saying anything that popped into her mind. That usually got her into a mess the size of the pacaifc ocean.  
  
She winced and clutched her shoulder again as the door opened, but forgot her pain as she learnt she was once again staring down the barrel of a gun. She glared at the gun's owner, an oriental boy of about her age.  
  
"That is getting really old, really fast." She muttered, staring him down. "Go ahead, shoot me! Just let me warn you before you do-- if any of your bullets hit me in the shoulder, I will personally take you down with me. Because my shoulder HURTS. Those idiots with the little OZ badges probably killed it."  
  
Gun lowers just a little.  
  
"OZ fired at you?"  
  
She grinned. "Yeah. They kind of took us prisoner, so I blew up their wall, and they shot me. Justifible action, but I can still be pissed at them." She shrugged her good shoulder.  
  
"Wufei, is anything wrong?" Another male voice, considerbly higher but not younger, called out. Wufei glanced at Usagi and finding no apparent weapons, turned slightly.  
  
"Just a girl."  
  
Usagi was pretty sure there was an insult in that.  
  
"What does she want?" Deeper voice, nasal, definatly natural Japanese.  
  
She counted up. Three so far, All male, unless one of them was a Haruka wannabe. "Well, considering I've never been on this planet before, directions would be nice!" She said loudly, her voice lilting. "Well, I mean, I think this is Earth, at least, it seems so, but I've never been on this particular earth."  
  
Wufei arched an eyebrow. "Correction. Just an insane girl."  
  
Usagi glared. "Hey, buddy. Watch it. If I'm not insane by now, then I never will be. After the first seventeen or so demons, life gets a little strange." Turn. "Rei, you can come out now. They haven't killed me yet, so I suppose they won't."  
  
Wufei looked over Usagi's shoulder as the senshi warily crept from the shadows. His eyes widened at the sight of her fire bow that she held firmly in her hands.  
  
Usagi glared.   
  
"Rei-chan, I said they aren't going to kill us yet. Why are you going all pyrokenetic?"  
  
"I never get to show off anymore."  
  
"So?"  
  
"They don't know about me yet! I can show off! Oh, wow, who's the cute dude?" She asked, forgetting Usagi and letting her fire disapate. "Hi! I'm Rei Hino! This is Usagi... erm, just kind of ignore her."  
  
That did it.  
  
Wufei slammed the door and retreated.  
  
Usagi stared at the door. "See what you did!"  
  
"I didn't do it!"  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did too-- ow! That hurt! I'm wounded!"  
  
"Oh. Oops. Sorry."  
  
The door opened again, and this time a boy of medium height, with blonde hair and friendly blue eyes stood there, looking apologetic.  
  
"I'm Quatre! Sorry about Wufei." He said, standing back. "He's not very social. Please, come in. We don't get visitors around here."  
  
Usagi looked Mars up and down. "Dehenshin first, Rei." She said, frowning. "You look out of place."  
  
With a glare Mars did so, making Quatre jump back a little as fire and light left the once indimadating senshi as a school girl, dressed in the uniform of T.A. Private school.  
  
Seeing Quatre's look, Rei grinned. "We do that." She said, grinning. She followed Usagi inside.  
  
Quatre shut the door. "Duo and Trowa are in the parlor... Duo's watching one of his old movies again. They're friendly, but Trowa doesn't talk much. Don't worry, Duo talks enough for both of them. Heero's in the kitchen. Er.. he has a limited vocabulary."  
  
"There's five of you, then?" Usagi asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why are you out here?"  
  
Both of them noticed the way Quatre's eyes changed the slightest bit. "Vacation." He said firmly.   
  
Usagi nodded, but Rei's eyes narrowed.  
  
"I'm Usagi Tsukino. This is Rei Hino, my guardian and best friend. I hate to intrude on you like this, but we had no idea what time it was. And this is going to be a strange question-- what year is it? And this *is* earth, ne?"  
  
"It's earth, alright. And it's--"  
  
"QUATRE! Trowa's giving me the evil eye thing again! Make him STOOOP! He's your boyfriend!"  
  
"Omae o korosu!"  
  
"SHUT UP, BAKAS! I'm trying to meditate!"  
  
"..."  
  
Usagi turned to Rei as Quatre went running to stop a fight that had apparently broken out, judging from the banging and yelling. "This is too familar."  
  
"No kidding. It sounds like me and you."  
  
"Does not."  
  
"Does too!"  
  
"Does not!"  
  
"Does TOO!"  
  
"Does NOT!"  
  
"Does!"  
  
"NOT!"  
  
"DOES!"  
  
"NOOOOT!"  
  
"DOOOOESSS!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"You!"  
  
"Make me!"  
  
"I will!"  
  
"You wouldn't!"  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Reiii! You're so mean to me!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"Are tooooooo!"  
  
"Usagi, don't even go there."  
  
"Why not? I want to argue. I feel left out. And we can't get into a   
fistfight until at least tomorrow, until my arm heals."  
  
"Why can't you just use the ginzuishou on yourself?"  
  
"It isn't that easy. I can't heal myself."  
  
"Bite me."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Hey! You've got... oh. Sorry."  
  
Usagi looked away now, hand over her shuolder once more, eyes full of hurt. "Let's just get directions and get out of here. The sooner we contact the others the sooner we can get home."  
  
Rei frowned. She held up her wirst communicator and tapped it. "Usagi, haven't you ever listened to Luna and Ami? We are screwed. They don't work through time. The best we could do is see if there are senshi here. And they'd probably attack us."  
  
Uasgi stared at her teammate. They were oth completely unaware they were now being watched by all five boys.  
  
"Please don't tell me that you're saying we're stuck here. Alone." She pleaded. "They've got to work, Rei. I don't know how to get home unless that youma pops up again! I don't guess you've got any ideas!"  
  
"If I had the Great Fire, I could try to ask it, but we don't have it. And yes, we're stuck here."  
  
Usagi suddenly looked a lot like the Usagi Rei knew best. Her eyes filled with tears and she clutched her injured shoulder tighter. "We don't know anyone here, Rei. We're wanted by OZ and you-know-who. Soliders are looking for us. I've lost a lot of blood and I don't care what Luna says, I'm weak. You're tired from struggling and using your powers. Neither of us have slept for almost three days and we haven't ate either."  
  
"We don't need to eat." Rei pointed out reasonably.   
  
"It helps!" Usagi protested. "If those five kids decide we're easy pickings, you'd better hope that they're frightened of a fire storm or something, because I seriously don't think I could hold any of them off for long. I need sleep."  
  
"I know, hime." Rei softened considerably as she looked closer at her leader. "But we need to know where we are before we do anything."  
  
"And then what?" Usagi demanded harshly.  
  
"You could stay here." The two girls turned to see the blonde boy, Quatre, smiling haphazardly while the other four fours looked at him in very much the same way Rei and Usagi were-- in disbelief.  
  
"What!" Quatre exclaimed, turning pink. "You heard them. They were prisoners of OZ and don't have anywhere to go. They'll be safe here. You can just turn them out."  
  
"Oh yes we--"  
  
Duo quickly covered Wufei's mouth with his hand. "Heero, make your boytoy shut up. Of course they can stay. We've got plenty of rooms." He looked at them both curiously. "Do either of you know how to cook?"  
  
"Rei's a good cook."  
  
"Usagi can actually good well now." Rei added.   
  
"See?" Duo grinned. "They cook. They stay."  
  
Usagi rolled her eyes at the same time Heero did. Rei just shook her head.   
  
"Thank you very much." She said. "As soon as we've gotten some sleep, we'll leave if you like." She spoke to Wufei, who narrowed his eyes. Rei shrugged.  
  
"Let me look at your wound." Duo jumped as Trowa moved forward towards Usagi, who eyed him warily but removed her hand. Rei paled a little when she saw the blood... blood that was a little bit to dark to be human. Trowa didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Come with me. I'll get you some bandages." Usagi had to strain to hear his quiet voice, but nodded, deciding to trust him.   
  
"Alright." She said, following him out of the hallway.  
  
Rei faced the remaining four boys. She watched suspiciously as Heero stared at the dark blood on the floor for a long minute before he disappeared. Wufei jerked away from Duo angrily and followed him.   
  
"I'm Duo Maxwell. Nice to meet you." Duo extended his hand. Rei regarded it warily before shaking it. "This is Quatre... but you know that already. Trowa's the tall, quiet one that just stole your friend. You're lucky: he usually doesn't say diddly."  
  
"My good fortune doesn't last long. I'm Rei Hino first--" She stopped herself just in time from saying her full title. "Call me Rei." She covered hastily.   
  
"And her name is Usagi?" Quatre asked, ignoring her slipup.  
  
"Yes. Usagi Tsukino."  
  
"That was a nasty shot she took." Duo watched Rei a little too closely. She took it from behind?"  
  
Rei thought back. "Yeah, I think so. We were kind of surprised after blowing up the wall. We didn't expect them to have the dun-- the cells on the outside walls."  
  
Duo nodded. 'Those walls are several feet thick. What did they use, fission bombs?' "How old are you?" He watched her hesitiate for several seconds befoer finally answering. He nudged Quatre to make sure the blonde saw it too.  
  
"I'm... fifteen."  
  
"Why did OZ want you?" Quatre asked.  
  
"I don't know." Rei studied the dents in the walls.  
  
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Duo asked. "They just saw you and thought you'd make nice meat?" He inwardly grinned as he watched her glare at him.  
  
"When you fall out of the sky and go out taking a few hundred of their men with you before you're knocked unconscious, usually normal people want to hold you captive."  
  
"She's lying." Usagi reappeared, her shoulder now bandaged. "She took out less than a hundred. I'm the one that got covered in blood before they managed to cuff me. Miss Temper Tantrum over there was already exhausted. She conked out after some idiot hit her with the butt of his gun."  
  
Rei glared. "He came up behind me."  
  
"That kind of hit shouldn't have effected you like that. You were exhausted, admit it."  
  
Quatre pushed the two arguing girls ahead of him. "Come on. I'll show you to your rooms and you can get some sleep."  
  
They ignored him but allowed themselves to be led up the stiars. Duo listened to them argue the entire way.   
  
"You're the one who didn't fight before we were taken here, Usagi. Don't start giving me shit."  
  
"Don't make me kick your ass, Rei."  
  
"You couldn't beat me in a fight--"  
  
"Don't start giving out challanges, damn it!"  
  
"Oh. Right."   
  
Duo frowned. He turned to find Heero on the floor with a small vial, collecting some of Usagi's split blood.  
  
"Yo, man. What are you doing?"   
  
Heero frowned and finished before he answered. Standing up, he held the vial in front of Duo's nose. "Look at the color." He said, indicating the almost purple substance in the glass.   
  
Duo looked. "Oh my god. That's her *blood*?" He poked the vial. Heero quickly pulled it back, nodding.   
  
"I'm going to examine it."   
  
"We don't have that kind of equipment-- do we? And why the sudden interest in those two girls?" Duo demanded. "They're just a couple of scared babes."  
  
"Are you completely blind? That bullet hit her bone. It should have shattered, but it didn't. Her blood's a strange color, and I saw you listening. They talk strange, and it's not just the accent."  
  
"I'm flattered you're speaking to me so much, but Heero, they're just a couple of girls. Sure, they're freaky."  
  
"And pyrokentic."  
  
"And-- what?"  
  
"Wufei says that the other girl was holding flames in her hands when she approached."  
  
"Wufei says a lot of stuff. Doesn't mean it's true..."  
  
"I'm not going to argue with you. Trowa agrees."  
  
"Fine, whatever. Go break into the hospital and kill people. See if I care."  
  
Heero shrugged and left through the front door. Duo sighed and olded his hands behind his head.   
  
"Guess I get to play watch dog tonight." He groaned.  
  
~'~  
  
  
I'm not putting a number on the amount of reviews I'd like. I suppose I'll take in by the content of the reviews. Anyway, Sionara!  
  
Black beyond  
Black_beyond@hotmail.com  
Dammit, I'm female! 


	2. Encounters of the Third Kind

The Reflection of a Soul, Chapter 2  
Black Beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
pg13  
~'~  
  
Wow. I'm kind of amzaed by the sheer amount of feedback I've gotten already.  
Keep going like that and I'll never stop writing! This isn't an easy story   
to write, and well... damn. *_* Thank you!  
  
As a LOT of you have noticed, I've gotten a LOT of demanded for Heero/Usagi and   
Rei/Wufei. No promises, although I'm considering it. There's room for plenty of   
snogging in this ficcy, and we'll get into that later on. Hehe... The plot   
thickens! Oh... uhm, what plot? I didunt see no plot around here, nosir...  
  
I think I'll try for one chapter a week. The chapter will be about the length this   
chapter is, maybe a bit longer, but shouldn't be any shorter. I try to keep my   
chapter's short of longish, which turned out to be a big boo-boo in my last ficcy.   
Anywho, I've talked enough. On with the show!  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
Usagi sat down on one of the beds in the room while Rei paced   
around, looking behind the wall hangings and furniture and in the   
closets. For what, Usagi didn't really care.  
  
"Of course the room is bugged, Rei." She said, after a few   
minutes of observing her friend search. "Those kids are sharp. You really   
think they're on a vacation? Yeah, right. And I'm Queen of-- god damn,   
I hate that saying." Without meaning to, she rubbed her shoulder again.  
  
Rei let the painting fall back against the wall and looked at   
Usagi, smirking. "Yeah, it must suck when you can't use a thousand sayings   
because they're true, ne?"  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
"We've been there, remember?" Rei snickered, and then sobered.   
"How's your shoulder?"  
  
Usagi poked at it gingerly. "With any luck, it'll be mostly healed   
in a couple of days. Do you think they noticed?"  
  
"What? Oh, your blood color? Probably. I would have if I were   
their age."  
  
"Rei, you noticed everything. And you didn't exactly have what   
anyone would call a normal childhood."  
  
Rei shrugged. After a few seconds, she sat down on the other bed.   
"I think we're in the middle of some type of war. I got some angry vibes   
from all of them, even peace and love blonde boy. We're definatly not home."  
  
"We got that much from the military base, Rei." Usagi reminded her   
friend. "I wish we knew what side was doing what."  
  
"No!" Rei caught the drift. "You are NOT getting us involved in   
whatever conflict these people are having, do you hear me!? As your best   
friend and advisor, and head of your army, I'm ordering you!"  
  
"You can't order me."  
  
"I can damn well try." Rei retorted.   
  
"And you aren't head of the nonexistant army. Haruka is. You're   
second in command."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Usagi crossed her arms and turned away, pissed. She waited a few long   
moments before saying, "What do you think they're do?"  
  
"About what?" Rei snapped as she searched the bedcovers.  
  
"Me."  
  
Rei pulled apart the mattresses and looked underneath them before   
she answered. There was an ever so slight tremble in her voice. "They can't   
do anything. We're senshi, Usagi."  
  
"It's not like I forgot, Rei." Usagi scowled. "I tried to for five years   
and I couldn't. I know what we are. But the question is, what are we going to   
do about it? We both need sleep."  
  
"So we sleep." Rei reasoned. "And when we wake up, we either do our damnest   
to get out of here without being noticed. Once we get into the city... well,   
our luck will get better. OR... we can stay and get the feel of things before we   
try to kick it."  
  
"What if there aren't any cities?"  
  
"Stop with the what ifs already, bufore I kick your ass!"  
  
"Like you could." Usagi retorted, sticking her tongue out and blowing a   
raspberry at Rei.  
  
"Don't tempt me, oh great moon princess. Don't tempt me."  
  
~'~  
  
  
"Where'd Heero go?" Quatre asked, as he came down the stairs a couple   
of hours later and noticed Duo deep in thought. "Did he get a mission?"  
  
Duo snorted. "He gave himself one. He's probably brekaing into the   
hospital right now."  
  
"Why?" Quatre was startled.  
  
"Because blondie's blood is too dark for the perfect soldier." Duo   
frowned, and was about to add more when Wufei stomped into the den, looking   
twice as pissed as before.  
  
"They ARE wanted by OZ." He sat down hard on a chair. "They are considered   
armed and dangerous terrorists. There's a reward." He named a figure that made   
Duo's and Quatre's eyes go wide.  
  
"For a couple of schoolgirls?" Duo asked. "Damn, we've got competition."  
  
"For a couple of girls." Wufei corrected. "They're not in any records   
that I can find. None. I can't even get a picture match."  
  
"Bet you can. You're just looking in the wrong places."  
  
Duo nearly fell over Quatre, he turned so fast. Wufei just stard at   
the little girl that had somehow gotten into the room unnoticed and was looking   
quite comfortable in Duo's stolen recliner. She had a can of soda in one   
too-pale hand and waved with the other.  
  
"Who are you? How'd you get in?" Wufei demanded.  
  
She wasn't more than nine years old, and wasn't very tall or indimidating.   
Her eyes were green and her hair was--"  
  
"Purple?" Duo asked. "Is that natural?"  
  
"Hey, hands off the hair, braid-boy." She snapped, swatting his hand away.   
  
"Where did you come from?" Quatre asked gently. She looked at him,   
shrugged, and aimed her peircing stare at Wufei.  
  
"Try looking for dead people." She suggested. "As a matter of fact, try   
looking for very important dead people's daughters."  
  
"What are you talking about, onna?"  
  
"Well, you want to know about Usagi and Rei, right?"  
  
"How did you know--"  
  
She jumped up and grinned. "If you want to know about them, you have to   
look for dead people. That's all I can tell you right now, or my mother will   
ground me. And that's not fun. Caio!" She winked and fled out the door and up the   
stairs. Duo automatically chased after her, but reappeared with a dejected, "She   
vanished," which, in some form or another, they supposed they could have expected.  
  
"Dead people's daughters?" Quatre frowned. "Does she mean that their   
fathers are both dead?"  
  
"Maybe, but I think it's meant to be more specific than that." Duo   
surprised Wufei by sounding logical.   
  
"Maybe she meant that they're both supposed to be dead." Wufei muttered.   
"If their fathers were dead, I still would have found them. But I didn't go   
through obituraries. I'll try that." He walked out of the room.  
  
Quatre looked over at Duo. "Who do you think she was?"  
  
Duo shrugged. "I dunno, but how much you going to bet she shows up again?"  
  
~'~  
  
Somewhere in the shadows of time, a little girl giggled as her friend   
reappeared.  
  
"Come on, Tomodachi! Let play!"  
  
The friend shook her head, her violet locks splashing against her   
pale cheeks.  
  
"No, little one. We have to help Mother."  
  
"Mama?" The little girl asked, her emerald eyes widening. "Mama's hurt?"  
  
The friend nodded, frowning seriously. "Mother is very hurt, little one.   
She hurts inside from old pain. We have to help her smile."  
  
"Mama smile!" The little girl giggled and skips a few steps into the   
colorless space. "Tomodachi make Mama smile!"  
  
The friend laughed. "Yes. Friend make Mama smile. But you have to help,   
little one." She reached over and tousled the small child's indigo curls. "Listen   
carefully, so you can help make Mama smile."  
  
"Mangetsu help!"  
  
"Yes. Little Mangetsu shall help."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Mangetsu= translates roughly to 'full moon'. Tomodachi tranlates to 'friend'.   
More about those two (and yes, they are important to the floundering plot! ^_^)   
later from an old friend. Caio!  
  
Comments, complaints, and flames go to black_beyond@hotmail.com  
  
PS. I'm not an expert on the GundamWing timelines. I'm trying to put this somewhere   
before Zechs's mask breaks. But if anyone could send me a sketchy outline of the  
timelines, I'd appreciate it lots. Thanks, bye. 


	3. Never Say Never

The Reflection of a Soul, Chapter 3  
Black Beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
pg13  
~'~  
  
Heeyas, I'm back again? Miss me? Once again, thank you ten thousand times   
over for all your sweet, inspiring reviews. For some odd reason, I write   
better with the more reviews I get. Yes, that is a hint. What gave it   
away? ^_^  
  
*does a double take at reviews and her eyes go really wide* ACK! *ducks   
under her desk* Some of you are scaring me. I'm easily frightened over  
here. ^_^ Uhm... sorry... I'm just about assuring you that there won't  
be a Wufei/Rei. Rei's going to be paired with one of the gundams, but not   
Wufei... I only entered the area of the SM fandom a few days ago and already  
I'm tired of it. :( Sorry. But on a lighter note, Usagi is getting paired   
with someone in the GW show! But you're never going to guess who...   
hehehe....   
  
This was going to be longer, but the next lag of the story is humungo, so  
this part's short and to compensate, the next part's going to be bigger.  
I usually even it out in the end! And I accept all flames with open,   
marshmellow-laden arms. On with the show!  
  
~'~  
  
  
Heero Yuy was nervous. He didn;t like being in the marketplaces   
of this town. They were large, crowded, and people pressed up against him   
from all asides. The only comfort was that he had his gun and no one could   
take it from him without death becoming an immediant result for the   
pickpocket.  
  
His jittery mind relaxed as he noticed people weren't quite so   
close to him anymore, and for a few wonderful seconds, he didn't question   
it. The human part of him LIKED being away from all those bodies, goddamn   
all whys, whats, and hows. And then rational Heero kicked in and he looked   
around suspiciously.  
  
He had to place every reflex on maxium in order to stop in time   
to avoid a collision with the little girl that had suddenly and completely   
just appeared in front of him. Even then, they were just millimeters apart,   
with him desperatly trying to gain his balance without embarassing himself--   
a difficult feat, but one he managed to just barely pull off. Before anyone   
else could even so much as *blink*, he had his gun out and aimed poink-blank   
at the exotic five-year old.  
  
She blinked at the cyclopian, metal eye of the pistol, and for   
a few precarious seconds seemed to be teetering on a decision of whether or   
not to throw an outrageous tantrum or run away. As if remembering something,   
she gave him and incredibly sweet smile and looked up at him with the   
greenest, most innocent eyes he had ever seen. For a moment they shocked him   
with their pure innocence.  
  
JUst as quickly, he remembered it could be a trick and kept his   
gun trained on her. He started as she drew her hands from behind her. She   
was holding a beat-up brown teddy bear. One of it's ears was missing, and   
stuffing spilled out of it with her every move.  
  
"Bear hurt. Kiss boo-boo!" She ordered, holding the bear up to him.   
"Make boo-boo better!"  
  
Some foriegn part of his mind softened and went "Awwww!". He glared   
feircly at that part and told it to go to hell.  
  
"Iddn't that cute?" Duoo said cheekily, coming up from behind Heero   
to grin at the little girl. "Weird hair... , cute kid. And she wants the   
perfect soldier to kiss her bear's boo-boo!" He rolled his eyes at Heero, who   
sulkily put his gun away. Duo knelt down so that he was one face level with   
the little girl.  
  
"Lemme tell you what, kid."  
  
"Mangetsu!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever. Listen, this guy is a jerk. Uh-huh, don't look so   
shocked. He'd rather kill the bear than kiss it. Nooo!" Duo said kickly, as   
tears welled up in her big green eyes. "It's okay! We'll find someone else,   
someone *prettier*, to kiss your bear's boo-boo." He looked around for a   
gorgeous, sympathic girl to utilize the little girl, when--"  
  
"Duo Maxwell! I can't believe you." A too-famailr blonde pushed her   
way through the crowd and scooped up Mangetsu, teddy bear and all. Duo glared   
at her. "Using a cute little girl to catch a date. Shame and other bad things   
on you."   
  
Mangetsu looked at her like she was god. "Mama." She whispered in   
awe. "Mama!"  
  
Usagi's face paled. "She didn't fall from the sky, did she?" She   
wailed at Heero and Duo.   
  
Heero grunted and Duo shrugged. Usagi looked at Mangetsu.   
  
"You don't look like me. You don't have odangos. Am I your mother?"  
  
Mangetsu giggled a little, but was too awed to do much else. "You   
everyone's mama! Good Mama Ren'ty!" She hugged Usagi happily. "Mama smile!"  
  
Usagi smiled weakly for Mangetsu and searched the crowd for Rei.   
"What's your name, little girl?"  
  
"Me Mangetsu! For Mama!"  
  
Usagi frowned. "Who's your real mama, Mangetsu?"  
  
"Mama gone." Mangetsu pointed to the sky. "Up there."  
  
"Oh, your mama's dead?"  
  
"No." Mangetsu shook her head violently. "Mama up there!" She said,   
waving her bear passionatly. "Big boom. Ev'ryone sad. Mama go up there and   
not come back. She says it's up to me and my Tomodachi to help Good Mama   
Ren'ty."  
  
"You and your friend?" Duo blinked.  
  
A shadow cursed and left her hiding place and quickly ran for the   
scene, for things had gone wrong with Usagi's unexpected appearance."Mangetsu!   
Mangetsu!" A young, ordinary-looking young woman called, running up to them,   
breathless. She took Mangetsu from Usagi kindly, thanking the three of them.   
"She runs away so easily." She explained, hugging the small girl to her. "She's   
my sister."  
  
"Who's your mother?" Usagi asked.  
  
The young woman smiled sadly. "Our mother has been dead for a year."  
  
Mangetsu frowned. "Mama not dead! Mama go 'way!"  
  
"Yes, Ma-chan." The woman cooed. Mangetsu relaxed visably. "Mangetsu   
doesn't understand yet."  
  
"She called me her mama." Usagi frowned. "She called me Mama Serenity.   
Why did she do that?"  
  
The woman tensed visably, so much that even Duo and Heero noticed,   
and Heero wasn't even paying attention to her. "I don't know. Ma-chan, why did   
you call this nice woman 'Mama Serenity'?"  
  
"You say so, Himi." Mangetsu looked confused. "Good Mama Ren'ty make   
smile. That Mama Ren'ty." She pointed.   
  
"Oh." The woman smiled with dawning conprehension, but still didn't   
relax. "She's talking about a bedtime story Mother used to tell about a   
princess named Serenity who made people happy. Smile. You must look like the   
princess in the story." She studied Usagi. "Yes, you do. I didn't notice it   
before, but you look just like the picture in the storybook. No wonder Mangetsu   
came running to you. You look just like her idol." She laughed fakely.  
  
Usagi nodded mechanically. "Serenity, huh?" She whispered. "Okay.   
Bai-bai, Mangetsu."  
  
"See you, Mama." Mangetsu called, as the woman all but fled,   
disappearing into the crowd.  
  
"That was weird." Duo muttered. He noticed Usagi staring rigidly off   
into space. "Yo, Usagi! Earth to blondie! HELLO!"  
  
Usagi jumped. "Oh, sorry. I have to find Rei, Duo. Something's wrong."   
Her eyes were trancelike, far-away, and her voice was spacey. She turned   
mechanically and went in the opposite direction that the odd pair had ran.  
  
Duo watched as she was intercepted by a tall, handsome man. She   
looked up at him and he swore that she grew even paler as the man took her   
hand, kissed it, and led her away.  
  
"Heero, shouldn't we stop him?" Duo asked.  
  
Heero shrugged, his cobalt eyes narrowing. "Why? She can take care   
of herself."  
  
"But that dude--"  
  
"She'll be fine."  
  
Duo frowned as Usagi was pulled into a car. She sent a pleading   
look to Duo over the man's shoulder, but then got into the long limosine   
and vanished.  
  
"I don't like this." Duo muttered. "I'm following them." He ran   
after the disappearing limo.  
  
Heero just shrugged. Whatever that blonde creature had gotten   
herself into, he knew fair enough she could take anything that was thrown   
at her. Because she wasn't human.  
  
~'~  
  
Two days prior  
  
  
Heero quickly contemplated the ways to get into the hospital. He   
could easily steal a coat and I.D., but then there was a greater chance of   
someone recongizing that he wasn't supposed to be there. No, the easiest   
way was to break into a room with a microscope. And that would be a lab.   
  
But which floor? There were seven.  
  
He did his best to look as nonchalant as possible. A couple of the   
nurses looked at him strangely but didn't say anything as he inspected the   
directions on the signs. After only a few monents of looking, he found what   
he was looking for.  
  
"Laboratories... fourth floor." Heero nodded, feeling pleased with   
himself. He located the nearest elevator and glared a couple out of boarding   
it. Once inside, he inspected it breifly for bombs and then pushed the button   
for the fourth floor.  
  
He waited a few seconds before stepping out of the elevator. He   
didn't see anyone in sight, so he walked quickly, ducking into the first vacant   
room. He quickly locked the door behind him and flipped on the lights. A look   
around confirmed that the room was indeed empty. He made his way over to a   
long counter and hooked up a microscope and carefully prepared a slide with   
Usagi's blood. He had no idea why this matter to him so much. He didn't know   
why he wanted to know if the girl was human or not so much.  
  
He knew he would have normally dismissed it. She was not part of a   
mission, even though OZ and Romafeller wanted her badly enough to try and   
obtain the gundam's support. What did they know about her that made them try   
to make allies with their enemies?  
  
He looked into the scope and frowned. He wasn't a medical expert, but he   
knew what blood was supposed to look like.  
  
Forwning, he unlocked the door and looked around. The closest doctor   
was a few feet away, studying a chart. Not very tall, but intelligent looking.   
Moving fast, Heero walked over to him, grabbed him by his white coat, and   
dragged him back into the lab and locked the door again.  
  
"What the hell--"  
  
Heero pointed to the microscope. "Look at that and tell me what you   
think."  
  
The doctor bristled, shocked, surprised, and all those other good   
things. "Who do you think you are? I'll call security." He threatened, waving   
his chart.  
  
Instantly, Heero had his gun out and aimed. "Look at the slide,   
doctor." He ordered.  
  
The doctor blinked, and dropped his chart. "Hey, now. No need to get   
violent. I was only kidding about the guards. You want an opinion, I've got   
one. Look at the slide. No problemo." He moved towards Heero's microscope. "This   
one? Okay. COuld you put the gun away? Thank you." He moved nervously to look   
into the microscope.  
  
Just a quickly, he forgot he was being held at gunpoint and magnified   
the view. Then he looked up at Heero. "Is this your blood?" He asked,all traces  
of fear gone. He was just very interested and concerned now.  
  
Heero shook his head. "It's from a friend's friend."  
  
The doctor looked into the microscope again, and then extended his   
hand to Heero. "I'm Ray Kitchen. Dr. Kitchen."  
  
"You can call me Heero." Heero replied.  
  
"Well, Heero, this is the strangest stuff I've ever seen. Not discerning   
the color of it, the cells and structure are advanced beyond anything I've ever   
seen. This isn't human. Is your friend an animal?"  
  
"She appeared to be human."  
  
Ray nodded. "What tipped you off? How'd you get the blood?" He asked,   
while looking at the slide.   
  
"She took a bullet to the shoulder that should have shattered the bone,   
but now it's healing at a remarkable pace. I got the floor off the floor."  
  
Ray nodded. "You know, this could be groundbreaking." He picked up a scalpel   
and poked at the slide. "Facinating."  
  
"What is?" Heero asked irritably.  
  
"Your friend's lucky. With a structure like this, everything heals   
itself at a rate that makes us humans look like molasses. Where'd she come   
from?"  
  
"Good question. She's wanted by OZ and Romafeller."  
  
"Oh, her? Which one is she, the blonde or the brunette?"  
  
"Blonde." Heero replied.   
  
"We all saw it on the new broadcasts. No wonder they want her. If   
they can figure out what she is and how her body works, they could make their   
soldiers superhuman, or make them into whatever she is."  
  
"What is she?"  
  
"Not human, that's for sure. Maybe she came from a colony."  
  
"Doubt it." Heero muttered.  
  
"Do you think maybe you could bring her in? I'd like to study her." Ray   
said eagerly. "I wouldn't tell anyone. But this is just mindboggling. Does she   
know what she is?"  
  
"I don't know." Heero rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, I'm going to drag her here   
so you can make millions off the reward money. Do I look that stupid?'  
  
"Oh. Well, how about it?"  
  
"You're out of your mind." Heero said stoically. "I'm not promising you   
anything. I want your professional opinion and then I'll either kill you or let   
you go. I haven't decided yet."  
  
Ray gulped and turned back to the miscroscope for a few last seconds.   
Finally, he stood up, trying to to tremble.  
  
"My professional opinion," he began slowly. "is that whoever's blood that   
belongs to is not human. The structure is only vaguely similiar but very advanced.   
If you believed in aliens, this would be your dance."  
  
"Not human?"  
  
"Most definatly. I can't identify half of the cells in that sample."  
  
"Alien?"  
  
"I would say there's a good chance."  
  
"Can you tell how strong she is?" heero questioned.  
  
"No. I think that would vary, just as it would with us. But I can tell   
you this..." Ray said seriously. "She can heal at a remarkable pace. Cut an artery   
and it'll heal in a day. Shoot her and she'll be able to not only protect the   
bone, but the wound will be nonexistant in two days."  
  
"Thank you, doctor." Heero said, stepping closer. "But I can't have you   
calling anyone." Efficently, he knocked out Ray Kitchen with a swift blow to the   
neck, collected the vial, the slide, and the microscope, and left through the   
window.  
  
~'~  
  
  
Damn, you just have to love those escape plans, don't you? And please,   
don't forget our guest appearence, Doctor Kitchen. He'll be back. And as   
for Mangetsu and the mysterious woman-- look for them again too. 'Specially   
Mangetsu... she's just too kawaii! ^_^  
  
Oh, yeah. I am not an expert on anything other than Sailormoon, so if any   
of that medical mumbo jumbo was wrong, blame my love of science fiction   
novels and pretend it made sense, okay?   
  
Next time on ROS: Mystery man revealed, and it's an old face! But probably not   
who you're thinking of... or maybe it is... muwahahahaha! Mystery man gives   
Usagi vital information AND a mission. Woo-hoo! Rei and Heero have it out in a   
nice little confrontation that involved firethrowing and almost heightens to   
bloodshed before a very drunk Usagi stumbles in. They discuss Duo's sexual   
orientation, amoung other things.   
  
Damn, I'm ecchi.  
  
Anyway... until next time, right? Caio!   
  
black_beyond@hotmail.com 


	4. Just Say NO

The Reflection of a soul, Chapter 4  
Black Beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
pg13 (there ain't nuttin in dis dat wuddint in American Pie,   
as my muse would say. Of course, she doesn't count yaoi, but  
I'll believe her...)   
~'~  
  
The fourth chapter! And since I can't think of anything to  
put here... on with the show!  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Present time (whatever that is)  
  
Usagi sat, staring at her hands and doing her absolute best   
not to look over at her companion. She knew exactly who he was. Why   
he was there wasa the only question, and it was half answered.  
  
"You truly are a beautiful creature, Princess." He said, in   
the suave, confident voice she hated. With a strong hand he took her   
chin and forced her to look at him. "Do you know why I'm here?"  
  
"You're going to tell me something." Usagi whispered, trying   
to look away. "And I'm not going to like it, so you're taking us to a   
place where if I try to fight you, no one will be injured except you   
and I, so you will feel less pain."  
  
He nodded, pleased. "You grow more and more intelligent, love."  
  
"I am not your love." She hissed. "You have that up when you   
denounced your duty."  
  
He held his hands up in the universal signal up surrender. "Ah,   
ah. Still a little wild cat. And alone in this universe, except for Rei.   
Is she surprised by you?"  
  
"Shut up and tell me what you've come to tell me so I can   
leave." Usagi muttered.  
  
Mamoru leaned forward and knocked on the glass plate that   
seperated them from the driver. It opened. "Stop right here, Hori. This   
is good enough. The lady seemed to be displeased with me." He waited   
until the glass closed again and the limosine stopped.  
  
"Look at me, Usako." He ordered softly.  
  
Fighting back a lonely sob, she turned and looked up at him.  
  
"You are in this world. It is your world, you just don't know   
it yet."  
  
"So..." Usagi brightened a little. "We're just in a different   
time?"  
  
"In a way. Listen, OZ and Romafeller both know what you are,   
Usako. The part of you that not even Rei knows about. Don't get so pale--   
you knew this was coming."  
  
"But..."  
  
"After twenty-five years of living as teenagers-- aren't you   
tried of it? Don't fight it. The war will halt temporaily as they search   
for you. You have to trust the soldiers you're living with."  
  
"So they are soldiers."  
  
"Yes. And good ones."  
  
"They kicked your ass, didn't they?"  
  
"That's not the point, Usagi. Heero knows about you too."  
  
Usagi's eyes widened. "How?"  
  
"Your blood."  
  
"Goddamn..." Usagi swore a string of oaths that made Mamoru   
whince a little. "I hate humans!" She looked remarkably-- and frighteningly--   
just liek Haruka did after discovering that they were terminating her   
sponorship because she was female-- ready to blow up something very big.  
  
Reacting quickly, Mamoru reached for a cabinet and took out a crystal   
decanter and a wine glass. Quickly filling the glass, he handed it to her.   
Without really noticing what was handed to her, she continued a rant about   
the evils of human nature as she drank the gift. He refilled her glass just   
as quickly as she emptied it.  
  
As he refilled it, she watched him. "What is this?"  
  
He looked up at her. "Something special I had Setsuna bring to me   
before I resigned. From the height of vintage in Italy."  
  
She nodded. "It's good." She muttered. "But I hope you're not   
trying to get me drunk."  
  
Mamoru quickly shook his head, grinning foolishly. "You reminded   
me of Haruka's last fit. Michiru said that after four or five glasses of   
alcohol, Haruka quieted down and stopped threatening to blow up the embassasy   
and Tokyo Tower."  
  
Usagi nodded sheepishly. "I wasn't really going to kill the next   
twenty humans I saw."  
  
"Mamoru rolled his eyes. "I've seen you do worse, your majesty. And   
when you were less pissed for a worse reason."  
  
Usagi shrugged. "And you can go to hell."  
  
Mamoru grinned. "Been there, done that, puked hard." He sobered.   
"So, how old are you pretending to be this time? Twenty? Ten?" He looked her   
up and down hungrily. "No, I doubt ten..."  
  
She glared. "Fifteen."  
  
He smirked. "I remember when you were fifteen. And a very mature   
fifteen at that--" He dodged her slap. "It was a compliment!"  
  
Usagi scowled. "I didn't chose. The boys looked a bit older than   
that, and Rei made a wise decision. We don't exactly looked forty years   
old, Mamoru."  
  
"Still eighteen and going strong." Mamoru quoted one of Makoto's   
infamous quirps. "But fifteen? And they believed you?"  
  
"After some of the teenagers I've seen here, I'm surprised they   
didn't think we were younger." Usagi shuddered. "This has got to be the most   
interesting war I've been mixed up in yet. Apparently, there's a princess   
named Relena who's important to the war effort. They're having a hard   
time keeping her alive because she's obsessed with Heero Yui. I want to go   
and meet her and possibly get into that school of her's."  
  
Mamoru rolled his eyes and restrained several comments. "So   
you're getting involved."  
  
She looked at him incrediously. "Hell, Mamoru, there's not much   
else I can do! I mean, I'm living with five boys who are soldiers, I   
don't care what they say, I'm a soldier myself, I'm wanted by two hundred   
different organizations, AND I've been found out. Dun dun duhhh!" She   
rolled her eyes and took a long drink from her glass. "The least I can do   
is help out the side that's not trying to kill me yet."  
  
"As I recall, not everyone wanted to kill you. Demando just wanted   
to fuck you--"  
  
She frowned, itching to slap the-- well, itching to slap him, hard.  
  
"And Pharoah 90 merely wanted to destroy the world, not just you.   
And let's see... The Dead Moon Circus just wanted the golden crystal...   
and Galaxia... okay, Galaxia wanted to kill you. Can't deny that one."  
  
"No kidding." Usagi handed him her empty glass. "Can you tell me   
anyting useful, Mamoru?"  
  
Mamoru sighed. "Listen to those weird little kids running around.   
Setsuna hates them... they're from the time webs or something. Mess around   
with her work to make things better. And you should fight. It's your nature."  
  
"Ah! How refreshing! Someone with a brain." Usagi grinned. "So, no   
senshi."  
  
"No senshi. Just you and Rei."  
  
"Someone up there hates me."  
  
"Everyone up there hates you, Usako."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Rei shoved Heero up against the side of the brick wall with   
strength that nearly shcoked him into showing emotion.  
  
"What the FUCK do you mean, a tall dark man just shoved her   
into a limo and took off?" If she'd screamed, it might have been better.   
This was almost as bad as OZ interrogations. All she needed was the urge   
to kick him around the room and she'd had it cinched.  
  
"That's exactly what I mean." He clenched his teeth as she   
lifted him up by his shirt. For once, he wished spandex tore more easily.   
Right now, Rei was inhum...  
  
His thoughts trailed off. Could she be like Usagi?   
  
"Are you human?" He suddenly asked. "I know Usagi's not."  
  
Her grip grew even tighter. He felt his feet leave the ground   
completely, and suddenly a fist surrounded by fire was suddenly in his   
face, and he had his answer.  
  
"What do you know about Usagi?" Rei demanded harshly. "And you   
better talk fast, pretty boy. You do NOT mess with her without going   
through ME."  
  
"She's not human." Heero said simply, not frightened in the least.   
Rei frowned and let go of him, but kept her fire at hand.   
  
"And your point is?" Rei asked. "Do you think I'm human either?   
But let me tell you something. If you tell anyone Usagi's not human   
I'll kill you. You want to know what happened last time someone found   
out? She lost everything. She's not going to go through that kind of pain   
again. Only over my dead body, and I don't stay dead very easily."  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed. "You're just a girl."  
  
"Just a--!" Rei laughed. "I'm anything but just a girl. I'm a   
senshi."  
  
"I'm a soldier too."  
  
Rei smirked. "Not a soldier. I am a sailor senshi. I am guarded   
by the planet Mars, and if you think this is a neat little trick--" She   
threw the fireball at the wall millimeters from his head. "Piss me off."  
  
Heero glared. "Why should I be afraid of you?"  
  
"Because you're a soldier. And I'm a soldier." Rei shrugged. "I   
know I can kill you, and that you can't kill me."  
  
"Rei! Rei, are you there?" Usagi came running down the alley,   
grinning, holding up her wirst watch happily. "They DO work, Rei! And there's   
not any other senshi here. We're completely cut off from everyone. Mamoru   
was here for about an hour, but he left."  
  
"Mamoru?" Rei forgot about Heero.  
  
"Yup." Usagi was too happy--  
  
"Usagi, plezase tell me you did not make out with Mamoru." Rei   
said pleadingly. Usagi flushed even more than she already was.  
  
"Weeeelll..." Usagi grinned. "Just a little. We both had some   
wine and he started talking and you know how sexy his voice is, Rei..."   
Uasgi sighed. "But anyway, he managed to give me some information.   
There's four or five little girls running around annoying the hell out   
of Setsuna. We need to listen to them. And uhm.. oh, yeah!" Usagi stumbled   
a little bit as she pointed violently at Heero. "He knows I'm Lunarian.   
Or something. And..."  
  
"Usagi," Rei asked suspiciously. "Are you drunk?"  
  
Usagi grinned. "Now why would you think that, dearest Martian   
friend?" She frowned. "No, not really. Just a little... what's the word?   
Tipsy. Yeah, I'm tipsy. Anyway, we happen to have a mission."  
  
"A mission." Rei said disbelievingly.   
  
"Righto, PMS queen." Usagi giggled at her own joke. "We have to   
go to the Sanq Kingdom, wherever the fuck that is, and go undercover and   
protect that stupid blonde princess there."  
  
"Relena." Heero was incredious. "She wants to protect Relena. Why?"  
  
Usagi laughed. "Did you think I was a bad alien, Hee-chan? Naw.   
I like peace, as long as it doesn't stay that way for long. I'm all for   
helping you guys out. You were nice to me. I always return my favors. I'm   
part Italian, I think. Hehe. Anyway, I'm going to prtoect blondie." She   
giggled.  
  
Rei turned back to Heero. "You might as well know-- no one that   
she's ever played bodyguard for has died. She's the best.""  
  
"Damn right I'm the best. I'm not Queen of the Earth for nothin'."   
Usagi grinned. "Now, if you don't mind, I want a nap. And then, it's off to   
that kingdom with the funny name. Goodnight!"  
  
Rei dashed forward just in time to catch her leader. Picking her   
up with strength that if the event of the past ten minutes hadn't have   
happened, Heero would have been surprised by it.   
  
"Keep your mouth shut." Rei growled. "We haven't worked our asses   
off for the last thirty-odd years for you to just ruin it."  
  
"Thrity--" Heero frowned. "How old are you? What are you?"  
  
Rei looked at him for a long moment and then turned to the girl   
in her arms. Shifting Usagi until she'd freed one hand, she quickly slapped   
the blonde. "Wake up, Usagi!" Usagi groaned.   
  
"Five more minutes, Luna..."  
  
"Usagi, I swear to Selenity that if you don't get up, I'm going   
to drop you."  
  
"Ice cream..."  
  
Rei sighed. "I apologize." She promptly dropped Usagi.   
  
Usagi came alive faster that Rei had ever seen. She was on her feet   
and glaring before Heero could blink.  
  
"OUCH!" She muttered. "Was that really necessary, Rei-chan?" She   
asked, rubbing her back. "Just because it doesn't scrape, doesn't mean it   
doesn't hurt...." She trailed off when she saw Heero. "Opps."  
  
Heero looked at Rei. "Wasn't she drunk?"  
  
Reu shrugged. "Our systems don't stay screwed up long. She must   
have drank a LOT in order to get that drunk and then even more to stay it."  
  
Usagi smiled a little. "I tried to stop after two glasses, but   
you should have tasted that wine!" SHe giggled. "Mamoru-chan sure knows   
how to pick it."  
  
"You're calling him Mamoru-chan?!" Rei demanded. Usagi stuck her   
tongue out at the martian.   
  
"What's it your business, Rei?" Usagi taunted. "So I got drunk,   
and Mamoru got drunk, and we made out before I left. It was my decision   
to ditch him. I can play kissy-kissy with whomever I want." She laughed   
a little. "Damn, what was in that wine? I'm still giddy. Oh well."  
  
Rei rolled her eyes. She knew what many did not-- Mamoru was still   
a senshi in physcial senses. He probably had all his drinks drugged with   
something to make them more potent so he too, could get drunk whenever he   
liked.  
  
"What else did Mamoru tell you?" Rei asked, rolling her eyes.   
"Anything useful before you two got drunk enough to not care anymore?"  
  
Usagi bit her lip. "I don't remember."  
  
"That's just peachy."  
  
"Go fuck yourself, Rei."  
  
"Don't start, Usagi. We've got other problems. Like what we're   
gonna do about Heero."  
  
"Oh!" Usagi's eyes lit up. "That's what you're flipping about?   
Heesh... Heero's okay! You see, he's a soldier too! Endymion explained this   
silly war to me before he started on the jokes. Uhm..." Usagi frowned.   
"He's a very important soldier named Heero Yuy..."  
  
Heero scowled and crossed his arms over his chest while Rei pulled   
up a trash can as turned it upside down so she could sit somewhere.  
  
"Who pilots a gun-damn. Hehe... Uhm, sorry. A gundam. It's a   
really big machine that's really, really dangerous. He's oh-one, the Wing   
Zero Gundam. It's got this stupid thing in it that fucks with your mind,   
but Mr. Perfect Soldier here can take anything." Usagi grinned, and then   
frowned a little. "I haven't been drunk for so long... and it's starting to   
wear off. And I don't even get the hangover. Damn. Anyway, the other four   
cute guys also pilot gundams. There's only... what? Seven?"  
  
"Five." Heero glared.  
  
Usagi shook her head. "Endymion's been getting information from   
the future! Seven. But two haven't been made yet. Talgeese and Epylon... or   
something like that. Those are Mr. Kushrenada's and Mr. Peacecraft's gundams."  
  
"Treize!" Heero started. "And who?"  
  
"Miri-chan!" Usagi said happily. "He's Mamoru's friend. Also known   
as Zechs Marquiese or the Lightning Count or Baron or Duke or whatever.   
Never did get nobility right-- hey! Hands off the merchendise, buddy!"  
  
Heero had picked Usagi up in the very much same way Rei had picked   
him up eariler. "What do you MEAN, Zechs and Treize are getting gundams!?"   
He demanded.  
  
Usagi shrugged. "I don't know. That's just what's gonna happen.   
Do I *LOOK* like the senshi of time to you? I don't think so." She managed   
to wrench herself away from his grip. Rei yawned.  
  
"Okay, so we're living with psychotic soldiers. We KNEW that, Usa."  
  
Usagi nodded. "But they're going to take us to Relena. Without   
their help, we won't make it there by ourselves unless we try to teleport,   
and Mamoru warned me that it may not work with only two of us. We've   
never teleported less than three before. And besides that, Relena is madly   
in love with Mr. Tightass here. What he says is sacred to her."  
  
Rei looked at Heero. "Is that a blush you're sporting, Heero?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Uh-huh. Sure."  
  
"I love Wufei." Heero said staunchly. Rei sighed.  
  
"Why are the really cute, buff ones always gay or married?" She   
asked Usagi, who frowned.  
  
"Not all of them are married. Motoki's not. Mamoru's not."  
  
"Both had/have fiance`s, Usagi." Rei pointed out. "Close enough."   
Usagi pouted.   
  
"Duo's not gay. At least, I don't think he is. Is he?" She looked   
to Heero, who had that "why are you asking me?" look on his normally   
inexpressive face.   
  
"How should I know?" He said shortly.  
  
"Because you LIVE with him, that's how! You should know whether   
or not he likes to sleep with guys or girls!" Rei replied, before Usagi   
could.   
  
"I don't notice." Heero turned away.  
  
"Big baby." Usagi sulked.  
  
"I bet you he could tell us everything about Wufei, down to   
what his first baby shoes looked like, but not a thing about Duo."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Heero demanded.  
  
Rei smirked. "Oh, yeah."   
  
"I could tell you lots of things about all of them." Heero   
replied.   
  
"Okay. Is Duo gay or not?" Rei challenged.  
  
"I don't know." Heero admitted, turning away again.   
  
"How can you not KNOW?" Usagi all but yelled, grinning.  
  
Heero shrugged, keeping his back to both of them. "It's   
none of your business."  
  
"Are you ticklish, Heero?" Usagi asked coyly, inching closer   
to the perfect soldier.  
  
"No."  
  
"Careful, Usagi. I don't know where he hides that gun of his   
in that spandex." Rei called, watching her leader slowly move forward.   
"I think I've got an idea, but you don't want it."  
  
Usagi flushed, but Heero remained stoic. "I am not ticklish."  
  
Usagi stopped, her arms dropping to her sides. "I bet you five   
hundred yen he isn't. He probably doesn't even have nerve endings."  
  
"I don't know about that. He and Wufei can get pretty loud."  
  
"I didn't notice."  
  
"Because you can sleep through a hurricane, Usagi." Rei   
repeated her age old argument. "And you snore loud enough to block   
them out."  
  
"I don't snore anymore!"  
  
"You used to."  
  
"Used to. But I stopped when..." Usagi hesitated, and Rei saw   
the hurt in Usagi's eyes for a precious few seconds before the blonde   
managed to cover. "Well, for a long time." Even Heero was startled as   
she turned away and started to walk out of the alley. Halfway out, she   
called over her shoulder, "And another thing-- I'm almost completely   
healed now. We need to start planning the Relena thing out, okay? Caio."   
She stalked out of the alley her shoulder slumped.  
  
Heero turned to Rei. "What was that about?"  
  
Rei's face was suddenly much too sober, sad, and stubborn for   
Heero's taste. "Something that happened a long time ago that Usagi still   
hasn't put behind her yet. I don't want to talk about it."  
  
She jumped up and left.  
  
Heero watched her go, and fell back against the cold cinderblock   
wall, frowning. He's spoken more in the last-half hour than he had for   
the last two months.  
  
With a great, heaving sigh, He wished he had pockets to shove his   
hands into and followed suit, vaguely wondering what it was about those two   
girls, human or not, that made him want to talk.   
  
"And what the hell do they mean by senshi, anyway?" He asked the   
air, as he left.   
  
~'~  
  
  
See? Longer. And Heero's ooc for a good enough reason... any extended amount   
of time with Rei and Usagi does strange things to one's mind. There's a chinese   
symbol for that... two women under one roof means trouble. Or something like   
that. Anywho...  
  
Next time on ROS: Wufei and Duo tumble over the remote, and Wufei reveals   
something about his personality that is quite disturbing to the average yaoi   
fan: his favorite song to sing while in the shower. And you AIN'T gonna guess   
right, so give up. ^_^ Tomodachi appears to them one more time and leaves   
them just as confused and pissed off. Wufei seems to know about the Sailor   
Senshi as Heero reveals new information about our beloved destructive duo's   
past. Goota love modern tech. Rei sheds some light and Usagi is visited by yet   
another freaky little girl-- that makes three of them so far, not counting   
mystery woman (and you ain't neva gonna believe what *she* is!). The new girl   
explains their purpose and helps Usagi come to a plot-important decision that   
will send her into lots of hot water.  
  
Until next time! Caio!  
  
black_beyond@hotmail.com 


	5. Of Motherhood and apple pie

The Reflection of a Soul, Chapter 5  
Black Beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
pg13  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
Wufei was very calm. Wufei was very cool. He was collected, elegant,   
refined, and most of all, he was NOT yelling.  
  
"GODDAMNIT, YOU CRAZY BAKA! DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOD?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Wufei wondered if he would be weak to run Duo through this is sword.  
  
"GIVE ME THAT!"  
  
"No way, Wu-man. This is mine."  
  
"Maxwell, don't make me kill you." Wufei said dangerously, inching   
closer. Duo simply ran and took cover behind Trowa and Quatre, who were   
occupied, doing, erm, *other* things. They didn't seem to notice or mind at   
all, though.  
  
"Come and get it!" Duo taunted. "Nah nah nah nah boo boo!"  
  
Wufei shook his head with disgust and Duo evaded him once more, taking   
cover behind the couch.  
  
"Give me that remote! Now! I'm not watching that movie again!"  
  
"Come on! Rocky Horror Picture Show is a classic!" Duo yelled.   
  
"It's anchient, and not to mention disgusting." Wufei retorted, leaping   
for the braided pilot. Duo leapfrogs over the couch and hid behind the TV,   
grinning from ear to ear.   
  
"I know you like it, Wufei, or you would scream for everyone to shut   
up during the timewarp!" Duo's grin stretched as the chinese pilot stuttered,   
outraged at the suggestion.  
  
"I... do not! I just think that if I am forced to watch it, I might as   
well be able to hear it, too!"  
  
"You dance to it in the shower!"  
  
Wufei took out his sword, and with a quick, liquid movement, threw it   
exepertly at the American. Duo shrieked and ducked just in time to avoid   
decapitation. He turned to watch the sword bury itself in the wall, and then   
whipped around just in time to see Wufei jump to tackle him. With another   
girlish shriek, Duo tried to move, but found himself pinned to the hard floor   
by his shoulders.  
  
Asking for forgiveness from The Powers That Be, he kneed Wufei in the   
groin. The other boy's eyes widened in pain and outrage, and he promptly   
punched Duo as hard as he could.  
  
"My nose!" Duo screeched, and then returned the favor. Only too   
quickly, the two were hiden by a flurry of fists and feet and the ocassional   
yelp of pain.  
  
Quatre pulled away from Trowa.   
  
"Shouldn't we seperate them?" He asked uncertainly. "They could   
kill each other."  
  
Trowa shrugged. "So?"  
  
"You've got a point. Let's get out of here before Heero comes back   
with Rei and Usagi.  
  
"DIE, MAXWELL!" Wufei exploded, as Duo bit his arm. "If you--" He   
uppercutted the other boy, "-have rabies, I'll kill you!"  
  
"Does it matter?" Trowa asked.  
  
"No." Quatre said, and they resumed their... other things... again.  
  
"My remote!" Duo yelled.  
  
"Die!"  
  
"Wow. If you guys got any more agressive, I doubt you'd be classified   
as human. Maybe gorilla. Naw, you're too cute for thaaaat."  
  
Wufei and Duo froze at the sound of the familiar childish voice. Wufei   
was holding Duo by his braid and his fist was approximately .2 millimeters from   
Duo's ribcage. Duo was using both of his hands to choke Wufei with the remote   
and he was in the midst of attempting to kick the Chinese pilot to death.  
  
Trowa stood up so fast that Quatre, who had been happily snuggling on   
his lap, was knocked to the floor. Grumbling, the blonde pilot stood up and saw   
what the sudden hush was about.  
  
"It's that girl!" He exclaimed.  
  
"No dippity do-duh." Duo jerked away from Wufei. "Who are you, you   
little brat?" He growled.  
  
She occupied the same recliner, only this time she had a thick, rather   
small, book in on of her hands, and her bright violet hair was pulled up into   
two too-cute pigtails.  
  
"It'd take all the fun out of it if I told you my real name," She   
began, smiling cleverly. "but you can call me Tomodachi. That's what Mangetsu   
calls me... that's what everyone calls me, actually."  
  
"You know the other little chick too?" Duo demanded.  
  
"What other?" Wufei asked.  
  
"My sister." Tomodachi said coldly. "And it would do you good not   
to speak of her without a whole lotta respect, BOY." She suddenly seemed very   
frightning for a nine-year old.   
  
Like someone hit a lightswitch, her grin reappeared and she bounced   
out of the recliner and hugged one of Wufei's legs. Startled, he looked down   
at her.  
  
"You should look a little harder, Wufei. You almost found them last   
night." She said happily. "Why don't you look into the twentith century birth   
records? I really can't help you anymore." She opened the book randomly and   
shoved it up into his face, pointing to a few lines. "Rule 392, line eight. Do   
not give too much information to anyone. They must find it theirselves." She   
recited and then drew the book back.  
  
"As for you three..." Tomodachi released Wufei and skipped out into the   
middle of the room and spun around as she spoke. "Mama's been given a mission,   
and it's your mision to help her, unless you want to wake up tomorrow and find   
bright pink, fuzzy gundams!" She frowned. "'Cept for Quatre-oji-chan, cuz he's   
so kawaii!" She winked at the blonde, who immiedatly turned bright red as Trowa   
mouthed the word "uncle" disbelievingly.  
  
Tomodachi tilted her head towards the door. "Company's coming!   
Bai-bai!" Tomodachi vanished in a display of purple light just as Rei threw   
open the door, followed closely-- too closely-- by Heero.  
  
Rei searched the four stunned pilots' faces carefully. "Is Usagi here?   
Has she been here?" She demanded breathlessly.  
  
Wufei dumbly looked his head.  
  
"Shit!" Rei cursed, and spun around to face Heero. "I told you so!  
You don't know what she's like when she gets into these moods! Twenty years   
ago-- maybe! NOW?" Rei held up her hand and a small red pen appeared above   
it. She grabbed it quickly. "I've got to find her." With her free hand she   
pushed Heero back. "Mars Planet Power, Make UP!" She shouted, just as Trowa   
asked aloud, "What the--?"  
  
Disappointingly-- no, *tragically*, he never got to finish his   
sentence. Fire exploded around Rei, burning away her clothing and then, as   
Duo cursed, a stream of more intense fire and stars came and formed several   
rings around her, sheilding her from their stunned eyes.   
  
A huge flash of light, and then--  
  
"Meet Sailor Mars, peepers." She bit her lip as she looked at them   
all. "I guess I'll have to explain everything later, won't I?" Mars waved a   
two fingers wave and then pushed past Heero, her communicator already out   
and beeping away.   
  
"My life is strange." Heero mumbled, and brushed past the other pilots   
and disappeared into the room he shared with Wufei.   
  
"I think they brainwashed us all." Duo muttered. "First the whole   
two gorgeous girls appearing on our doorstep, then the whole freaky little   
chick thing, Heero starts speaking and showing a personality... and now this?   
I'm waking up now... I'm waking up now..."  
  
Wufei syuddenly tackled him, remembering their fight. Duo threw   
it at him and retreated into the kitchen.  
  
"Dishonorable coward!" Wufei called after him half-heartedly. He had   
gotten what he wanted, so after Duo called him a few things in English that   
Wufei didn't really understand very well but had a vague idea they were were   
dishonorable things, he didn't prusue the matter. Instead, he sat down in a   
chair and flipped through the 160 channels meticulously.  
  
Trowa pulled his koi back down onto the couch. QWuatre stared at the   
back of Wufei's head incrediously.   
  
"How can you watch TV after that?" The Arabian's voice was about a   
full octave higher that usual. "She just-- well, I don't know what she just did--"  
  
"It was an anchient sorcery." Wufei muttered, still flipping through   
channels. "She is a Sailor Senshi, even though they're all supposedly dead."   
Click... click... click.... "Very honorable women warriors who controls the   
elements with their bare hands."  
  
"Is that Chinese mythology?" Trowa asked quietly.   
  
"No." Heero reappeared with his laptop. He plugged it into an outlet,   
hooked it up to the modem, and then sat down in the other chair. "It's a   
Japanese urban legend."  
  
Duo came out of the kitcehn, curious from hearing Heero say   
something other than "Omae o korosu" or "shut up" or just a grunt. He leaned  
in the den doorway, listening.  
  
"I found that Usagi wasn't human from the blood I collected.   
I had a doctor study it--"  
  
"At gunpoint." Duo interjected, grinning.  
  
Heero glared, but continued. "--and he told me that it was only   
vaguely similar to human blood. He believed it was an advanced form of   
human-- an alien."  
  
"You jest." Wufei mumbled, but turned off the TV so they could   
all hear better.   
  
"And today I had a confrontation with both of them. Rei Hino   
confirmed that they were not human, but that they were senshi. The she hinted   
that they were actually much older than they'd previously told us. And then   
Usagi appeared, drunk, speaking of a man named Mamoru who had given her a   
mission and explained both the war and each of us to her."  
  
"She knows who we are?" Quatre frowned, concerned.   
  
Heero nodded, typing away on the laptop. "I didn't remember then--"  
  
"Be still my heart."  
  
"Shut up, baka. But senshi was used in twentyth century Tokyo as   
a way of speaking of a group of girls in sailor uniforms. The Sailor Senshi.   
There nine girls at one time, and each represented a planet-- all except   
earth. The ninth girl stood for the moon. Sailor Moon. The leader."  
  
"Rei takes orders from Usagi." Trowa pointed out.   
  
"You'renot telling me you think that thin little blonde is the   
leader of a group of powerful legends!" Duo exclaimed.   
  
Heero shurgged, and hit a couple of keys. "I looked into that point   
in time and came up with something even stranger. At the ages of twenty-three,   
Tsukino Usagi and Hino Rei, along with three other girls: Mizuno Ami, Kino   
Makoto, and Aino Minako vanished. They were best friends and left all at the   
same time, leaving to note or hint of their whereabouts."  
  
"What's so weird about that? People do that all the time." Duo asked.  
  
"In the twentyth century, that was the worst thing that could happen.   
It was very, very uncommon." Quatre said sadly. "Their poor parents."  
  
Heero nodded. "And each of them were moderatly famous. Mizuno Ami   
was a genius and was doing groundbreaking research in the medical feilds. Hino   
Rei was a famous, world-reknowned singer and diplomat. Kino Makoto had a   
chain of resturants that was all over the Asian continents. Aino Minako was   
an actress."  
  
"And you're saying that that Usagi and Rei are the ones staying   
with us." Wufei summed up.   
  
Heero ignored his koi and continued. "On the day after that, four   
more disappearences were reported, that of Formula-1 racer Ten'oh Haruka,   
Violinist and painter Kaioh Michiru, and their adopted daughter Tomoe   
Hotaru. Also was Chiba Mamoru, doctor and fiance` of Tsukino Usagi. Coincidently,   
the former were well known aquaintences of the other six."  
  
"Of course." Duo muttered.  
  
"Exactly twenty years after that, a series of explosions had Japan   
terrified. First Mt. Fuji was hit twice, and then Tokyo Tower, and then   
seven other important landmarks. On the ninth, the Sailor Senshi sppoesly   
apeared. Moon and Mars vanihsed in a vortex created by the demon and then   
the others killed it and vanished. But the infamous Tuxedo Kamen, protector   
of the senshi and the senshi of earth-- was not there."  
  
"Who saw that coming?" Duo asked cynically.  
  
"Got it all figured out, don't you?" Mars stomped through the   
doorway, sporting a black eye. At their questioning glances, she sighed.   
"She's in the forest a few miles from here. She told me to get away from   
her after she so delightfully punched me in the face. Mars detransformed   
into the dress she'd been wearing eariler that day.   
  
"So you're saying... what he's saying... is true?" Duo asked.  
  
"Most of it." Rei nodded, jumping on the couch beside Trowa and   
Quatre. "Yes, I'm Sailor Mars. Princess of the planet Mars, the airspace   
immediatly surrounding it, and all it's lovely little moons. Yes, we all   
disappeared on the same two days. Some bastard discovered that Usagi   
wasn't ageing past the age of eighteen and then got it that she wasn't   
human. We left before he could do anything about it. Mamoru stayed behind   
to warn the outer senshi, and they fiollowed us. We split up into pairs or   
went solo. I went with Usagi, because Mamoru came up about a week after we   
left and were planning out how to disguise ourselves. He said that he was   
giving up his duty to earth and to Usagi. He gave her all his power and   
then vanished."  
  
"What duty?" Quatre asked, leaning voer Trowa to listen better.  
  
"He was Tuxedo Kamen and Prince Endymion. When the time came, he   
would have ruled the earth with Usagi as his queen. Not to mention he had   
all the powers of the earth at his disposal."  
  
"And he gave that up?" Duo nearly yelled. "Is he mental?"  
  
"No." Rei sighed. "Just very, very stupid. We never saw him again.  
But Usagi was such a different person after that she never really needed a   
disguise. She wore dark colors and read all the time... we went to America,   
you see. The lpace that used to be Boston. I'm not sure where the others   
went, exactly. I know that both Michiru and Ami kept track of all of us,   
because years and years later, when the attacks started on Tokyo, they were  
the ones to contact all of us again. Ami just wanted us to know it was a   
youma doing it all, but it was Minako who convinced us to go back and fight."  
  
"You would have let Japan be destroyed?" Wufei asked.  
  
Rei shrugged. "Earth was Usagi's area now. It was her decision   
whether or not to help this planet. I have no idea what Minako said to   
her, but she gave the order and we went and fought. it was during that   
fight that we were teleported here. It's nice to know they killed the   
youma, though. As Usagi said, youma should not know how to open temporal   
passages."  
  
"You were teleported here by a demon?" Duo snorted.   
  
"Yes. We reappeared in the middle of an OZ base. Soldier began   
to attack and we countered, and I guess that pissed them off. I was knocked   
unconscious and swhen I woke up, we were in a little cell. We busted out   
and Usagi got shot and you know the rest."  
  
"How many of you actually believe this?" Duo asked, and then scowled   
as even Wufei nodded. Rei stuck her tongue out at him.   
  
"And you know you believe it too, Duo. Because I found out something  
interesting about you. Apparently, one of my lovely friends was pregant when   
we disappeared. I poked around and bit and found out that you're her decendant.   
You're too far down to have any real powers and you're completely human, but  
you, my dear Duo, are the decendant of Death."  
  
Duo's eyues widened a bit, and Wufei and Heero rolled their eyes.  
  
"Whadda you mean?" Duo asked.  
  
Rei frowned. "From what I was able to gather, Hotaru gave her child   
up for adoption after she made sure that baby had no special talents. I   
understand-- none of us can take care of children with our duties. I checked   
the kid's linage and you're in it. Hotaru Tomoe was the senshi of Death and   
Rebirth, which might explain you and your gundam and your uncanny ability   
to stay alive. We senshi are kind of like roaches, you know?"  
  
"Roaches."  
  
"Yup, roaches."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
It had taken her a few minutes, but Usagi finally got up into   
the tall tree and sat on one of the lowest high branches. She kicked the   
trunk in a low, drumming method and stewed over her thoughts.   
  
She liked it here. She had a purpose here and that something she   
hadn't had in a long time. No, she'd never had a purpose. Sailor Moon did.   
Usagi was just a body. Just a body... in her own world.  
  
Here, she was Usagi. This could be *her* planet.  
  
"I just wish I knew that I didn't have to return."  
  
"Oh, but you don't."  
  
Usagi sighed, and buried her face in her hands. "I'm now imagining   
little voices. Terrific. I wonder if they have psych wards here, because   
that's where I'm going to end up."  
  
"You can't imagine me if I'm real." A little girl dropped down beside  
her. Usagi hesitated before she twisted around to look. A girl of about   
seven, with dark, blood-red hair and violet eyes sat beside her, wearing a   
strange pantsuit of shifting colors, like the dress that had been on Mangetsu...  
  
"You're one of those little girls, aren't you?" Usagi asked.   
"Hello. I'm Usagi."  
  
The little girl grinned. "I know who you are, Mama Usagi. All of the   
phantasms do." She frowned a little. "Not that we can help it. We know everything."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
The girl giggled. "I am called Jirasu. I lead the phantasms... The   
Pluto senshi called us insufferable little brats, but I like to think we're   
pretty good little brats."  
  
Usagi laughed at the odd gesture. "What did you mean, a moment ago?" She   
asked, frowning, reverting her gaze to the falling sun.  
  
"You should be at the house you share, listening to Rei, Wufei, and   
Heero. They've been doing homework, unlike you."  
  
"What do you mean?" Usagi asked, her brow furrowing.  
  
"The senshi can live without you. They are in this world... sleeping.   
You have to first protect Relena, and then wait until the war is finished.   
Technically, you aren't supposed to be here at all, but the phantasms and I are   
working on that. We have to help things mold to you."  
  
"To me?" Usagi was surprised. Manuerving the best she could to face   
Jirasu, she blinked. "Why to me? I'm not that important, am I?"  
  
Jirasu's eyes widened, and it was she who was completely shocked. "Mama   
Usagi, you are the Mother Serenity! You are the most important thread in the   
entire web of time and space! Your force exists on all planes and dimensions   
and universes. If you were to die or refuse your duty, all would be lost! Setsuna   
and we had a hard enough time keeping your thread untangled after the earth  
prince refused to rule-- we have to do all in our power to keep you how it   
should be!" Her pale little face was flushed with her passion.  
  
"Me?" Usagi was beyond astonished.   
  
"Yes, you! You, the great queen who shall rule and bring happiness to   
everyone! You are the only one qualified to love the world enough to help it.   
This is a dying planet, Mama Usagi. With a dying system and a dying sun, because   
you are unhappy."  
  
Usagi backed up against the trunk and nearly fell, but caught herself   
just in time. Her gray-blue eyes were wide and her lips were an o of surprise.  
  
"You must go back, Mama Usagi. Rei is telling them about the senshi. The   
pilot have all the information and sources you could ever want. Tomorrow you   
must leave with Heero to become Miss Relena's bodyguards, but you must never   
hint your higher rank unless the situation is dire."  
  
"Oh, wonderful. You're telling me that something will happen and I'll  
have to order her around, right? Why me? WHY ME?"  
  
Jirasu giggled, and had to bite her tongue in order to stop giggling so   
she could answer. "Because you're Mama Usagi. The most beautiful warrior ever.   
Not the strongest, but the bravest. Not the best, but the most powerful.   
And when you go to protect Relena... wear something black. All black."  
  
Jirasu waved and vanished.  
  
Usagi groaned, hugging the tree.  
  
"Yeah. Mama Usagi. Mama. Gods, what did I do to deserve this?" She   
looked down and eeped at the height. Cautiously, she began to climb down,   
plotting out what she'd say... and wear... to meet Relena.  
  
  
~'~  
  
Relena. *shudders*. Well, you seriously didn't believe that I could leave her  
out, did you? And I'm going to try my hardest to make her livable. Like Christine  
did in her Dangerous Liasions ficcy. OOO! You have to go read that. It's at  
www.gwaddiction.com or .net or something. But it's really good! ^_^  
  
Uhm... that's about it. And I haven't wrote the next part yet so I can't tell you  
what's in it, cept that Usagi's secret is about to blow up... hehe... would you  
kill me if I said her name isn't Usagi? *cackles evilly*  
  



	6. The Princess Of Pacifism

Reflections of a Soul  
Black Beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
~'~  
  
Sorry about the delay in getting this up! ^_^ This bit's extra long to make   
up for it, and and have to apologize for it as well, because it was wrote of  
a case of chronic writer's block.   
  
  
Uhm... quick note. Mamo-chan isn't going to play a big part in this. Sorry!   
And Usagi... well... for all you die-hard ditz fans... this is the time to   
back out. Because in the next chapter it's going to get ugly.   
  
  
That's about it! Ja!  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
"Do I look okay?" Usagi asked anxiously, smoothing down the waist of   
her fitted shirt nervously. Rei frowned critically as she pinned up her   
hair.  
  
  
"You look like a professional assassin from the movies." Rei grinned.  
"And so do I." She put a last pin in place and moved over to Usagi, walking   
around her, inspecting.   
  
Usagi had indeed worn all black at the suggestion of Jirasu. She had   
picked out something simple and well-made out of the arsenal of clothing in   
her forgotten subspace pocket.   
  
Remembering the subspace pocket, Usagi smiled. She'd found clothing   
from all the way back when she was a princess: beautiful designed dresses and  
gowns of soft, warm colors... and two black items. That brought a frown to   
her face. Black wasn't a color the queen allowed in the palace, Usagi   
remembered that much. But the clothing was definatly from the silver   
millennia, made from a slinky, thick material that wouldn't tear and couldn't  
be cut. One was a floor-length gown that clung to curves and had long, loose  
sleeves and a moderately low neckline. Upon closer inspection, Rei and Usagi  
had found several hidden pockets in the gown's sleeves and skirts, perfect   
sizes for weapons and other strange stuffs.   
  
  
The other black item was what she wore now. A pair of loose pants   
made from the same materal as the dress, a black cotton-like tank top that   
went under a long duster that was meant to be left unbuttoned. It swept the   
back of Usagi's knees and had the same hidden pocket excess as the gown.  
  
  
Rei had found the same two items in her own subspace pocket, but hers  
were the darkest red-- almost black, but not quite. And they were made of   
the same strange materials.  
  
"We were trained to fight." Rei said, seeing the blonde girl frown.   
"These are perfect for spying and hiding." She started to pull the blonde's   
long, silver-streaked hair up into two buns on either side of Usagi's head.   
  
"No ponytails?" Usagi asked, looking in the mirror.   
  
  
"No ponytails. They get in the way, if you'd care to remember." Rei   
smirked as Usagi stuck her tongue out at the raven-haired priestess.   
  
"How are we going to get to the Sanq Kingdom?" Rei asked   
thoughtfully.  
  
"You've got friends in high places." Duo appeared at the door where   
he'd been eavesdropping. "I spoke to the scientists. Our only mission is to   
help you guys get to the Sanq Kingdom. When Wufei demanded what the hell for,  
we were told that you two were the only ones who could protect Relena the   
way she needed protecting. Which is fine by me-- the girl's annoying." He   
shrugged.  
  
Usagi smiled at him. "Thank you, Duo. But I don't suppose you could   
tell us who we could get a few weapons from?"Rolling his eyes, Duo nodded.   
"Yeah. Since it's after two, I'll have to take you myself and show you what   
to get. Marius is one tricky guy. he's in the village."  
  
"We're oblidged." Rei snickered. "Just like Taru." she murmured.  
  
"I heard that." Duo's eyes narrowed, and then widened as he took in   
their clothing. "Where'd you get your clothes?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "A little magic goes a long way. Shall we go, then?"  
  
  
"Sure, whatever." Dup grinned. "It's a short drive, and at least   
thise time no one going to try to pick you up, not with you too looking like   
you're about to set out to destroy all of OZ."  
  
Rei's eyebrows raised. "I hope you don't mean we're indimidating."   
She cooed. "As our nephew, we hope that you're not indimidated by us, right,   
Usagi?"  
  
Usagi caught on almost immediatly. She smiled the same sickening   
sweet smile that she had taught Chibi-usa, the one that had weedled many a   
dollar out of her father and many a gift and favor out of Mamoru. "Right   
Rei-chan."  
  
She hadn't told Rei that senshi were in this time yet, nor how   
important she really was to everything. Just like she hadn't told Rei about   
her past... what she remembered... and what really happened. Better to let   
the martian believe that Duo was the only thing close to a senshi on the   
planet or in any of the colonies.   
  
Duo eyed both of them nervously. "Uhm... let's go, okay? I want to   
get there before it gets light. Marius is... erm, nervous in the daylight...   
easier to get caught."  
  
Usagi smiled her honey-sweet smile again. "Yes, let's go. I can   
practice my Heero face on the way there. Rei already has a perfect one she   
can use."  
  
Rei frowned, confused. "Huh?"  
  
"You know, the PMS-ey one you use every other second of the day."  
  
"HEY!"  
  
"See? Isn't it scary?"  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Usagi jumped out of the gundam Wing Zero, thankful the long, co0ld,   
cramped, and generally uncomfortable journey was over. She watched as Rei   
leapt out of Deathscythe and stumbled a little before she righted herself.   
She heard Heero land a few feet behind her and watched as Duo exited the   
gundam gracefully.  
  
She turned towards the huge mansion-- a palace, really. "And that is   
St. Gabriel's?" She asked no one. "She lives there, in the school. Not very   
safe." She frowned, and wiped imaginary dust from her trench-like jacket.   
They'd discovered when they'd left to obtain weapons that the material also   
repelled dirt and messes of any kind. The supermodel's dream fabric, Rei   
called it.  
  
"Does she know we're coming?" Rei asked, as they headed up to the   
gates of the place from the forest where the gundams had landed, Duo   
shrugged. Heero, who led the way, hesitated.  
  
"She has a way of knowing things." Heero muttered, just loud enough   
to hear. Duo laughed loudly but shortly.  
  
"She can *smell* Heero, he means." Duo explained. "The girl is   
obsessed. She's able to find us wherever we go, no matter what. It's insane."  
  
"And here I thought that was Ma..." Usagi trailed off as they   
approached the gates. Already they could see a girl of fourteen behind it,   
looking delighted as an eldery man-- Paegan-- opened the gates. Once they   
were open she fairly bounced out to greet them.  
  
"Heero! It's so nice to see you! And you've brought guests..." She   
looked over Usagi and Rei, noting their exotic beauty anxiously, but keeping   
her smile in place. Usagi didn't miss it. Smiling, she took Relena's hand.  
  
"Hello, Miss Peacefraft. My name is Usagi, and this is Rei. It's a   
pleasure to meet you."   
  
"The pleasure is mine, Usagi." Relena met her grip with surprising   
strength. Usagi smirked a little, but managed to keep her smile in place.  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
Rei watched the silent challenge between the two and sighed. She   
caught Heero's eyes and mouthed 'Royalty' and rolled her eyes. She swore she   
saw a slight grin before Duo interrupted everything.  
  
"Relena..." He said, as diplomatically as one could possibly be to   
someone they disliked intensely. "May we go inside? We're here on business."  
  
Relena frowned at him, but reluctantly released Usagi's grip and   
nodded. "Yes. After you explain your business, I'd be delighted to give   
your..." She hesitated only slightly, but it was enough.  
  
"We're just friends." Rei said quickly. Relan seemed doubtful, but   
continued.  
  
"... a tour of the school." She finished. "And then maybe of the Sanq  
Kingdom itself." She continued on about the kingdom as she led them inside.   
Usagi sent a glance around the yards and commented quietly to Duo.  
  
"She doesn't have much security."  
  
"She thinks it's unnecessary."  
  
Usagi gave him a queer look but said nothing more. How foolish was   
Relena? She certainly seemed intelligent enough, between her talktive,   
airheaded airs and obsessing over the perfect soldier. Usagi was sure that   
the princess had seen every single weapon on Usagi, and even Usagi had   
trouble finding half of them soemtimes.   
  
Usagi carried twin daggers with blades about eight inches long. They   
were concealed in the thick fabric of her pants and her virtually   
undetectable. A harness on her chest and back carried two loaded colt   
pistols that were in quick, easy reach and concealed by the long, black   
jacket. Slung over her shoulder was a double-edged sword, something Usagi had   
produced from her subspace pocket and refused to give up.  
  
After laughing over the fact that Usagi was a walking army, Rei had   
shrugged and picked up a lightweight fold-up bow that was currently hidden in  
a concealed pocket. Several arrows were in the bag she had slung carefully   
over her shoulder. Twin katana blades were hidden under the back of her   
jacket.   
  
Neither of them really wanted to buy or use any of it, but   
transforming sometimes took critical seconds away. Rei was confused as she   
watched Usagi handle all of it expertly as she hid it away, while she herself  
needed assistance from Duo and Usagi both to handle a gun properly, even   
though she was trained in the use of blades and bows. She reminded herself to  
ask Usagi later.  
  
Relena showed them into a small study and shut the door behind them.  
"PLease, have a seat." She invited cheerfully.  
  
Duo looked at Heero as if to say, "Uh-uh, your party, you explain".  
  
  
Heero cleared his throat and Relena spun around so fast Usagi ducked   
, fearing she would be cut by the girl's flying hair. She glanced at the   
girl's face and was speechless at the pure hero-worship that was there. She   
turned and saw that Rei saw it too, and was jsut as dumbfounded.  
  
Heero flinched. "Usagi Tsukino and Rei Hino are going to be your   
personal bodyguards. With the high in OZ activity, the gundams can't do it   
and these two are the best at everything they do."  
  
"I protest." Rei interrupted. "Usagi sings like a dying cow."  
  
Usagi's face went bright red as she glared daggers at Rei.   
"You... you... couldn't be nice if... if..." She foundered, and then hit   
another approach. "You handle a gun like an infant!"  
  
"You're a odango atama!"  
  
Usagi's eyes widened and her nostrals flared, and for a moment, Heero  
and Duo seriously believed she would attack Rei. "You bitchy priestess!" She  
exclaimed.   
  
Rei smirked. "Crybaby."  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Oh, you know you are."  
  
"I haven't cried since I was fifteen, Rei Hino!"  
  
"A whole year. Be still my heart." Rei's voice was warning Usagi not  
to blow their cover. Usagi understood, but wasn't about to give up the war.  
  
"Chill, chicas." Duo moved in before it became a rerun of the other   
fights they'd seen. "We're trying to impress Miss Relena, so hold off on the   
homocidal urges until someone tries to shoot her down."  
  
Rei grimaced and Usagi scowled as she retreated behind Heero, glaring  
at the priestess the entire way until Heero's back hide her from Rei's view.  
"One of these days..." She muttered.  
  
Relena looked at them doubtfully. Heero fought back a sigh.  
  
"Trust me, they'll do their jobs." He said, and cringed as Relena   
swooned and nodded.  
  
"Anything for you, Heero." She said... or rather cooed... Usagi   
almost snorted in disgust until she remembered that Relena had to be wary of   
her and buddy-buddy with Rei, who immediatly picked up her cue and stiffled   
her laughter at the sour look on Usagi's face. Taking a deep breath, she   
prepared herself for what she had to do, no matter how much it made her sick.  
  
"Thank you very much, Miss Relena." Her voice dripped with sincere,   
honey-sweet syrup. "I've always wanted to be here where I can listen to your   
theories of pacifism." Usagi made a gagging motion behind Relena's back. Rei   
ignored her. "They make so much sense that I almost quit my job. I would have  
until someone told me I was going to get to protect you, and I'd just die if  
anything happened." Rei said. "I don't exactly agree with all of it, but I   
do understand what you mean." She corrected the script a little, cringing at  
the idea of being thought of as a peace-loving assassin.  
  
Relena's brow furrowed the slightest little bit, but she smiled   
brillantly and nodded. "Of course! And since you're my body guards, you'll   
have to attend classes with me! Won't that be fun?"  
  
Usagi pretended to hurl, inducing laughter from Duo. Both Heero just   
shrugged, and then right on cue, Duo's pager beeped happily. Heero felt two   
hundred tons of lead being thrown off his shoulder as Duo checked the small   
devise and grinned.  
  
"Hee-ro and I have to go!" He said, perhaps a bit too cheerfully.   
"You three girls bond, okay?" The perfect soldier all but dragged him from   
the room, and the slamming of the door behind them sounded very, very final.  
  
"My brother Millardo be be arriving here tomorrow." Relena said, in   
the huge silence that followed. She smiled at both of her new bodyguards.   
"He'll be delighted to meet both of you."  
  
'Why do I get the idea that he won't be?' Rei wondered, and sent a   
look to Usagi, who grimaced ever so slightly, confirming Rei's suspicion.   
  
"Miss Peacecraft," Usagi asked crisply, stepping forward to face the   
shorter girl. "My name is Usagi Tsukino. I'm not here to be your friend. "   
She smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm here to make sure no one   
decides you'd look good in lead. Whether you want us to be undercover or you   
want us to follow you like dogs on a cat... it's your decision."  
  
"That's nice to know, Miss Tsukino. You're sixteen?"  
  
Sharp, Usagi thought coyly. She's very sharp. "Yes."  
  
"And you're..." Relena looked over at Rei, who immediatly answered   
the same.  
  
"What kind of training--"  
  
Usagi cut her off. "I've been trained to be a soldier to protect   
royalty. I do everything and anything to get the job done. Rei is a first   
class soldier who works well unercover. We're a compatable team."  
  
Relena nodded, still smiling with a cluelessly innocent smile.  
  
"Well, you'll just have to follow me around and listen to me speak in  
my classes. I don't get out much, but I do speak and there are occasional   
parties. Your job should be easy." She sighed.   
  
"Do you always wear pink?" Rei asked. Usagi glared at her, but Relena  
seemed to enjoy the question.  
  
"I love pink! Don't you?" Relena looked eagerly at Rei.  
  
"Uhm... yeah. Pink's... nice...." She lowered her voice to a mumble.   
"Chibi-usa."  
  
Usagi snorted.  
  
"What did you say?" Relena asked, confused.  
  
"It's really fab." Rei said quickly. Relena nodded.   
  
"Pink..." Usagi shook her head. "Pink..." She shuddered, thinking of her teenage obsession of the color and hoped Relena would grow out of it.   
"Pink..." Cringe.  
  
Relena frowned at her. "Do you want to share a room or--"  
  
"Share." Rei said immediatly. "We want to share the room closest to   
your's."  
  
Relena nodded. "That's fine."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
Throwing open the door to the closet, Usagi noted its emptiness and   
felt thankful for her the odd habit she had of throwing clothes into subspace  
pocket, a habit she'd picked up when she was a princess and had started   
doing again once they'd been forced to flee Tokyo. She knew it had to do with  
the tutoring she'd had on the moon kingdom, but it still struck her as odd.  
  
But she snickered quietly at Rei, who only had the clothes from when   
she was a princess and whatever she could wear from Usagi's large assortment,   
and since she was a size seven and the moon princess was much more petite,   
that wasn't much.  
  
Rei shoved her back into her bed and sat up, watching Usagi open   
drawers and cabinets, seeing what was there. The blonde found a hairbursh and  
collapsed on the bed and undid her long hair, and began to brush it. Seeing   
the difference between the blonde and silver was easy, because the silver was   
wavy and the blonde hairs were straight. Troubled, she fingered a silver   
lock.  
  
"Rei, there's less and less yellow every day." She said quietly.   
"What do you suppose that means?"  
  
Rei shrugged as she took her own hair down and began to plait it. "If  
it means anything, Usagi, it just means you're maturing. And that's a good   
thing. Back to the important stuff-- remind me why *I* have to like her? I   
hate her."  
  
"Because it's your mission. My mission to make her hate me so when I   
have to order her out of the way she'll do it. And because I have a higher   
rank that she does. This way she'll understand it better and believe it   
sooner."  
  
"Understand what?" Rei demanded. "I don't get this. We're here.   
Nothing bad can happen to her with two senshi standing guard."  
  
"Rei, there were nine senshi standing guard the night the silver   
millennia fell. Don't give me that. Just because we don't die doesn't mean we  
can't be defeated. We're immortal, not invincible."  
  
"Roaches. Yeah, I got it."  
  
Usagi looked to the other girl curiously. "Roaches?" She asked,   
confused.  
  
Rei laughed. "They wanted a comparison. And when you think about it,   
it's true. We're roaches. They keep stamping on us but we keep coming back."  
  
Usagi looked awestruck. "You've got a really good point."  
  
"I know I do. I'm me, after all." Rei stuck her nose into the air. "A  
pretty sailor-suited soldier, I cannot allow injustice to continue! I fight   
for love and justice in the place of Mars, the beautiful Sailor Mars!"  
  
Usagi giggled into her hand. "Did we really sound like *that*?"  
  
Rei turned to stare incredously at her leader. "You mean you didn't   
know? We sounded ridiculous! Back when I was trying to mutiny against you,   
that was one of my biggest things. i was going to make us say, 'We will kill   
you because you have crossed us.', but after a while I got used to The   
Speech."  
  
Usagi nodded, grinning. "Capital letters. The Speech..." She   
grimaced. "But roaches? I hate roaches. Always have and always will. Wretched  
little bugs."  
  
"The great Sailor Moon, frightened of something an inch long." Rei   
laughed.  
  
Usagi frowned. "Listen..." She twisted her hair up into a quick knot.  
"We need to go and look around. I want the feel of the place before Millardo  
Peacecraft gets here."  
  
"Is he--"  
  
Usagi nodded. "Zechs."  
  
"Peachy."  
  
~'~  
  
  
Ha! There! It was crappy, but I did it! Na na! -_-;; It was kinda sucky, but I got over one hurtle, didn't I?  
  
Next time: Mangetsu decides to get kidnapped while Relena and Usagi get into a catfight. Rei begins to suspect bad things about Usagi. Dorothy's thrown into the picture while Usagi looses her temper when a few of Zechs's soldiers. Leaving to find out more about her mission and the reaosning behind it, she returns with information concerning the princess of pacifism. And all the while, Rei's suspicions are confirmed, little by little, as the truth begins to surface about the pretty silver queen.  



	7. Fate's Punching Bag

The Reflection of a Soul, chapter 7  
black beyond  
~'~  
  
I apologize profusely for sloppiness in this chapter. I'm busy ranting about how Christianity encourages xenophobia and how shallow pop music is and about how it's injustice I am shunned because I would like to rip j-lo's throat out with a rusty spoon.  
  
As you can probably tell, I've got a severe case of PMS. The entire world is pissing me off at the moment. Flame me and you will receive harsh words. Believe me, I've got a colorful vocabulary-- thank you, Carey-- and do NOT argue with me about religion (which is evil) and pop music (which is pissing me off almost as bad as biblethumpers right now). Maybe in a few days, when I'm rational again. Fair warning.  
  
Excuse me. I have to go kill N'sync now and tell off music teacher for believing in transcendatalism (or however the hell you spell it) and for making me listen to the metal-lovers preach about how Metalica is so wise and deep. See you!  
  
  
  
  
  
Tomodachi paced back and forth, biting the nails on her left hand nervously. Jirasu watched her, anxious. Two other girls frowned.  
  
"You are absolutely positive." Jirasu demanded. "I'm not going to go off on a wild goose chase if she's just fallen asleep somewhere."  
  
Tomodachi nodded, tears brimming in her forest green eyes. She wasa picture of mourning. "I'm positive! I've looked and looked, and I can't find the little one *anywhere*!"  
  
Jirasu sighed and looked at her other two comrades. One of them appeared six, the other eight. Tomodachi was the oldest in appearence, at nine. She was only seven in her looks, but Mangetsu was by far the youngest of any of them, both physically and mentally. The girl appeared to be five, and acted even younger. Sending her on a solo mission was a mistake, Jirasu knew, but Mangetsu had to learn sometime soon.  
  
"Maybe she's playing in the timestreams." Kawaru, second oldest in appearence suggested thougfully, throwing her brillant green mane out of her face. "That's where she was last time."  
  
Tomodachi shook her head. "I looked! She never came back from her mission."   
  
Ayame soothed out her skirt, thinking. "But who would have took her? And why would Mangetsu let her? Tomodachi's the only one she'll let near her, especially when she's agitated. I'm afraid I don't understand." Her blue eyes closed, and then opened. "No one really knows much about us."  
  
Jirasu frowned. "Setsuna wouldn't have taken Mangetsu, and she's in The Sleep, anyway. Usagi saw Mangetsu... do you suppose she saw something else, too?"  
  
Tomodachi sniffled. "Do you think so?" She asked hopefully.  
  
Kawaru shrugged. "Mangetsu will be fine, Tomodachi. Whoever has her has taken great pains to be careful not to upset her or make her show emotion, or we'd have known it. Wherever she is, she's okay."  
  
Tomodachi sniffled, this having no effect whatsoever on her mental state. The next thing she knew, Ayame was at her elbow, leading her away, murmuring something about sleep. Tomodachi allowed to be taken away from the other two phantasms, sobbing.  
  
Jirasu laid her face into her palms, muttering in her hands, "This would have to happen right now, wouldn't it? We know all with the past but never with the present."  
  
Kawaru nodded. "It's only fair our vision is blurred when it comes t ourselves. And this explains why we couldn't see this part clearly. Should we contact Mother, or should we wait this one out?"  
  
Jirasu frowned. "Mother's busy. If Mangetsu hasn't turned up in a couple of days, we'll start a more thorough search. But if someone had the strength to take Mangetsu, we may hear from them sooner that you'd think."  
  
Kawaru nodded, agreeing. "I remember."  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi sat in the very first seat closest to Relena, but only after disgruntling a few young groupies who insisted on being practically on top of Relena.  
  
If they hadn't been scared of her, Usagi doubted she would have got them to move back a couple of seats.   
  
Rei sat beside the door, dimly aware of her surrounding and her eyelids drooping. Relena was half an hour into her sppech on the evils of war, and the only reason Usagi was awake was that she had her new laptop before her and was playing around with it.  
  
Looking up, she glanced around the classroom. Half the girls were hanging onto Relena's every breath and word and the rest were like Rei, either asleep or getting there. A rare few were riveted to her or Rei, watching them or just wondering why the princess of pacifism needed two fully armed amazons.  
  
Usagi sighed and went back to typing out her e-mail to Duo.  
  
"I try to think there's hope for her yet..." She wrote. "... but I swear to you, if I have to sit through another one of her speeches on the horrible wars, I might just shoot her myself and save the assassins a headache. I'm sure Heero and Wufei wouldn't mind. You think I should tell her that her precious Heero finds Wufei more attractive than her? Anyway... I'd better start paying more attention. Rei's dead already. Sionara, Usa."   
  
She saved it to send later and quickly shut the laptop and looked up at Relena, who had stopped talking to answer a question from a pecular blonde girl that Usagi recognized from Duo's descriptions as Dorothy Catlonia. He'd said you couldn't miss her, and she realized why.  
  
Usagi sumerised the short girl had question Relena's experience on the subject and she grinned, awaiting the answer.  
  
"We are in a war right now, Dorothy." Relena replied. "I see the men who drag themselves into my kingdom every day, sick of war--"  
  
"Cowards."  
  
"No." Relena shook her head. "They see fighting is unecessary, and--"  
  
By now, ever Rei had woken up and was paying attention, shaking her head. Usagi's knuckles were turning white from the sheet amount of control she was exerting as she listened to the idealistic review.  
  
"-- and that nothing good ever comes from fighting. It is good to believe in something, but when innocent people are killed..."  
  
"Are you against abortion, Miss Peacecraft?"  
  
head whipped around to look at the black-clad form of Usagi, who was glaring at the desk top, speaking quietly.  
  
"Abortion was outlawed seven hundred years ago, Miss Tsukino." Relena replied.  
  
"But are you against it? Surely you know it's still practiced today." Usagi repeated the question, and Rei could see her straining to keep from saying what she actually wanted to say.   
  
Relena turned around to answer, to face Usagi, and even Dorothy leaned forward, sensing the hostility radiating from the bodyguard.  
  
"Yes, I am against abortion." Relena said clearly.  
  
Usagi didn't look up. "You are against killing in any instance, aren't you, Miss Peacecraft?"  
  
"I am. It's unneccessary and uncivilized."  
  
Usagi took a deep breath t steady herself, but still didn't look up. "So instead, you'll allow a child to be born who is neither wanted nor needed. If that child is lucky, really lucky, he, out of a thousand children, will be adopted. If he's one of the other nine hundred and ninty-nine infants, he is cast away onto the streets or placed in an orphanage. He is unwanted. He is expendable, a piece of flesh to be fed. That's all."   
  
She looked up now, her gray blue gaze burning into Relena's soft blue eyes. "Do I *have* to tell you what happens to those children?"  
  
Remembering Mamoru's past, Rei's breath caught, wondering what the man had told her friend. Wondering what could pain that glare that had been deadened for so long.  
  
"They're lucky to be alive." Relena said stubbornly. Rei whinced at the flinch that travelled through Usagi's coiled muscles.  
  
"Lucky to be alive." Usagi snorted. "With all due respect, Miss Peacecraft, but I don't think you know very much about warfare."  
  
"And I suppose you do." Relena was growing annoyed. Dorothy she could deal with. Dorothy was amused by her, she knew. But for some reason, she also knew that Usagi was at her level and beyond. For some reason, Usagi was much, much older.   
  
That Usagi hated her.  
  
"I think I've seen more than you have." Usagi replied.  
  
"And I suppose you were an orphan." Relena smiled ever so slightly, thinking she had the blonde.  
  
Usagi didn't hesitate. She knew what it would cost her, and she knew she couldn't stop Rei from hearing it or questioning her later.  
  
Usagi answered. "Yes. Yes, I was."  
  
Relena nodded. "I can't help any bad experiences you might have had, Miss Tsukino. But I do know those kinds of things can be prevented. And that's what peace can do."  
  
"The only way you can prevent violence is to brainwash the globe and the colonies. And if you want to do that, then it's fine by me." Usagi stood up, picked up her laptop, and walked out of the room. "She's your's." She said to Rei as she passed her. Rei nodded, frowning.  
  
Relena, pink in the face and furious, counted to ten before turning back to then once again deflated class and continued her speech.  
  
"And thus, as you just saw, anger and violence do little for humanity..."  
  
Rei's frown deepened as Dorothy caught her eye and winked.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Her coat flying behind her, Usagi walked quickly away from the classroom, her face paler than usual and with a deathgrip on her computer. She passed several people, adults, teenagers, and even a set of twins two looked about five who clung, frightened, to the burgendy skirt of a woman Usagi recognized vaguely as a diplomat.  
  
She brushed aside several men in military uniforms, until one stopped her angrily.  
  
"Who do you think you are?" He snapped.   
  
Usagi looked at him. He was brunette, thin, and not much of a threat. She forcefully removed his hand from her shoulder and continued without a wor, plagerizing Heero's Death Glare.  
  
"You can't do that!" He grabbed her from behind. She froze, and then slowly turned. Her free fist started glowing but he didn't noticed."Do you know who I am? I'm one of the best soldiers in Zech's army. You can't treat me like that, you little bitch."  
  
She didn't flinch, but kept on concentrating on her free hand as she answered him. "I'm so sorry, *ma'am*, but I didn't see you."  
  
His face flushed and he raised his hand to hit her. "How dare you--"  
  
She brought her hand up right in front of his face and opened her fist. An explosion of light illuminated the hallway like a strike of lightning and the soldier fell to the floor, writhing, holding his face.  
  
"My eyes! I can't see!" He screamed in pain. The other soldiers quickly ran to his aid, and one of them, a young man, knelt on the floor and pried the other's hands from his face.  
  
"Wouldn't do that if I were you..." Usagi warned, grining.   
  
"Aie!" The young man fell back at the scorch marks running down the man's poor face, almost as if some wild animal had mauled him.   
  
"What did you do!" Another yelled.  
  
"Oh, it'll wear off in a week or two." Usagi turned on her heel and continued, only now she had a destination in mind.  
  
Everyone was paying so much attention to the man writhing in agony on the floor that no one noticed as Usagi turned a corner and then vanished into thin air.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
Rei rolled her eyes. She had to loose the coin toss, did she? She just *had* to be Fate's Punching Bag, didn't she. Even years of mentally torturing Usagi wasn't bad enough for this. This was cruel and unusual punishment beyond anything she'd ever experienced before.  
  
How many of you've guessed what she's doing?  
  
Right on. She's being interrogated by Relena Peacecraft.   
  
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Relena asked calmly, pacing in circles.   
  
Rei sighed. "I thought I did, okay? I thought I did. But then I thought some more, and now I realize I don't. I don't know *anything* about Usagi's past. We never thought to ask her, even though she knows all about mine. I just supposed..." She shrugged. "I supposed wrong."  
  
"Are you telling me you don't know your own partner?"  
  
She shrugged again. "I know what I need to know. She's trustworthy and always gets the job done. I'll trust her with my life. That's all I need to know." Rei said. 'But I'm still going to choke some answers out of her.'  
  
Relena sat down and faced Rei.  
  
"I know you believe I'm not very intelligent..."  
  
"Wrong on that one, princess." Usagi closed the door behind her. "I happen to know you're very smart. And that you don't like Heero at all. IN fact, I just learned oddles about you." She grinned, tossing a little box up and down in one hand, looking like a cat who just got the mouse.  
  
"Like what?" Rei and Relena said at the same time, and Relena's eyes narrowed.  
  
Usagi shrugged. "Stuff." She said happily. She reached over and locked the door. "By the way, in about fifteen minutes your borhter going to burst in here wanting my neck. You have to promise to stop him before I kill him."  
  
Relena's scowl softened a little.  
  
"Alright."  
  
"What'd you do, Usagi?" Rei asked curiously.  
  
Usagi grinned. "I blinded one of his soldiers who decided he was better than me. He didn't deserve it so really and truly I deserve it... but hey... as long as Rome stands, right?"  
  
Neither of them bothered to correct her.   
  
"Like I said, we don't have a lot of time." Usagi tossed the box to Relena. "I had to call in a lot of favors to get that. Don't loose it. it's vital to your survival."  
  
Relena cautiously opened the small box to find an oddly shaped watch made of some strange pink metal. It was elegant in design and fit on her wrist perfectly. There were twelve buttons forming a cricle on the rim, each with it's own, strange symbol and color and a small, round clock-face that was a few minutes fast.  
  
Rei gasped. "That's a communicator!" She looked up at Usagi. "Where'd you get that? Who's it is?"  
  
Usagi shook her head. "I can't tell you where, and it's her's. I had it specially made. There are only a few of them in existance." She walked over to kneel by Relena, and showed her each button.  
  
"This silver one right here is mine. You hit it and I'll be able to find you immediatly. The dark red one is Rei's. Same goes for her. The other ones are unimportant right now, because they won't work yet Except this pink one." She pointed. "Only if neither of us answer you in a couple of minutes, hit this. Only in an emergency, do you understand?"  
  
"What's it do?" Relena asked.  
  
Usagi shook her head again. "I can't tell you that." She said. "It'd ruin the fun."  
  
"I can't believe you're giving her a communicator. Did you bump your head, Usagi? First some weird flip trick you pull in class, and now this?" Rei said angrily. "You're the one who says she can't know about us, and then you give her a *communicator*?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "I didn't just spend the last three days arguing with Setsuna and twenty other guardians to get chewed out by you. I'm allowed to do as I wish as long as I don't endanger myself."  
  
"Who are you?" Relena asked softly.   
  
"My name is Usagi." She said quietly. "Known to my friends as Usagi Tsukino. Known to just about everyone as Usagi Tsukino, if you want to get technical." She grinned. "I'll tell you more later if you promise not to make me listen to anymore of your lectures."  
  
Relena grinned back. "It's a deal."  
  
Rei stared at both of them, stunned. Usagi turned to her friend. "I discovered that Relena's a decendent of Shingo's. Kind of funny when you think about it. But anyway, she's my neice in a weird way I don't care to think about, so I'm treating her like family. I was trained to protect, so here I am." She grinned. "And if you're going to try and interogate me later, forget it. I'm setting up my own perimeter around the place and Wufei and Trowa are arriving in a few days."  
  
"How the hell do you know that?"  
  
Usagi smiled mysteriously. "I just spent three days in the time webs. I got the grand tour. And of course, since I've never really been good at following the crowd... I kind of took a detour..."  
  
  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
If I hear Nelly, or BSB, or Blu whatever the fuck her last name is ONE MORE TIME, MTV will be destroyed. And I happen to *like* the Gorilla video they show once in a millennia, so this will piss me off even more. Goodbye.  
  
(sorry. i'll be in a better mood tomorrow, or I will be on the news for threatening the lives of the "respectable jocks")  
  
I told you I'd fix the format, didn't I? Well, here it is. And uh, I didn't have the heart to take my rant down, so it's still here. Uhm, read the eighth chapter... uh, and ja! ^_^ 


	8. From the Realm of Beyond

The Reflection of a Soul, chapter 8  
black beyond  
  
~'~  
  
*smiles in a way that screams 'a few cans short of a six pack'* Hellllllo,  
everyone! Sorry, I kind of went into one of those funk things where I glared   
at everything and everyone for a few weeks. So I didn't touch the computer,  
didn't check my e-mail (347 messages, and counting), or anything. I have to do   
a couple of projects that were due... uhm, four days ago. Whoops. So I'm   
posting this in the middle of a edible-cell making frenzy.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews! ^_^ I've never gotten this many for one  
ficcy before, and it's kind of mind-boggling for me. :)  
  
As for the MTV thing... my sister loves to watch it. I am forced to listen  
to Blu whatsherface and pop at all hours. But I do like MTV2. ^_^ Gorillaz!   
hehehe....  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
Millardo Peacecraft sauntered down the hall in very much the manner a   
pissed-off jungle cat would have. He'd just gotten news that some blonde demon   
had just set off a minature bomb in the face of one of his soldiers. The   
description didn't fit the Catalonia girl,. and the only other blonde in the   
palace to have that kind of nerve would be one of the bodyguards Heero'd   
dumped on his sister yesterday. The other girls here were daughters of kings   
or diplomats and none of them had the gall or sources to do anything like   
that.  
  
He walked past doors until he came to the one he wanted. He tried the   
doorknob and to his great annoyance found it locked.  
  
"Relena! Relena, I know you're in there." He said to the door.  
  
"Millardo!" He heard her startled voice. "Hold on." There were sounds of   
someone being hushed and a set of footfalls were heard running. Finally,   
Relena's voice came from just on the other side of the door.  
  
"Millardo-chan, you have to promise not to do anything rash. Usagi is a   
good friend of mine and she says that the effects should wear off in four or   
five days..."  
  
Millardo sighed. She was using that voice again, the puppy-pout voice he   
hated. "Fine. Fine. Just let me in."  
  
"Promise?" Relena asked, hesitiating.  
  
"Promise!"  
  
He heard the door being unlocked and then a scmapering sound. She waited   
a half a second before opening the door.  
  
He observed the scene quietly before entering the room. A young woman   
with dark hair and clothing sat placidly on a corner of Relena's bed. The   
blonde matching the description of the girl who set off the bomb was sitting   
on the couch, with... Catalonia?!... beside her. The two seemed almost too   
peaceful. Relena sat in a chair facing the couch, and her face was flushed a   
little.  
  
Usagi spoke up. "I swear to you the scars will be gone in twelve hours   
and he'll see again a few hours after that. It'll wear off completely in a few   
days."   
  
Millardo scowled.  
  
"You promised." Relena reminded. "Shut the door and pull up a seat.   
Dorothy was just telling us about her teddy... bear collection." She flushed   
even more.  
  
"Nice save." He destinctly heard the girl on the bed mutter. He looked   
up at her and she smiled back. "Hi. I'm Rei Hino. So, tell us about your...   
uhm..." She coughed. "Teddy bears, Dorothy."  
  
Dorothy grinned in a very disturbing way. Usagi managed to turn a   
snicker into a cough. Just barely.   
  
Millardo shut the door and cautiously moved to take a seat in the other   
chair.  
  
"Well, there's Sadist Teddy Bear..." Dorothy said, still grinning. "He   
comes complete with whip and ball-gag. And then there's Masochist teddy bear.   
He comes with--"  
  
"I don't want to know. On to the next teddy." Relena said quickly.  
  
Dorothy shrugged. Millardo watched as Relena's face went back to a less   
startling shade of red.  
  
"There's Kinky Teddy. He wears a corset and handcuffs. And then of   
course my favorite, Sex Teddy. He doesn't come with anything." Dorothy said,   
raising her eyebrows. "He looks like an ordinary bear." Usagi found this   
funny, and Rei coughed.  
  
Millardo's face went red. "And where did you get those?"   
  
"Well...." Dorothy rolled her jaw and smiled at him. Relena had gone   
very, very quiet. "From my koi." She laughed a little.   
  
Usagi was positively howling into a pillow, trying to smother her   
laughter but not succeding in the slightest. Rei covered her face with both of   
her hands, shaking with laughter. Relena just choked on her own breath as   
Dorothy smiled at him.  
  
"I missed something, didn't I?" Millardo asked.  
  
Dorothy nodded.  
  
Relena turned to her brother. "So... what did you want...?" She glared   
at Dorothy as the girl continued to Usagi about the other teddy bears in her   
possession.   
  
"Nevermind. Just to remind you that you have to be at that dinner party   
in four days in the Cenx Kingdom. I'll go now." Millardo sent a curious glance   
all around and then walked out of the room.  
  
The very second he shut the door, quite predictably the four girls   
exploded. He heard Relena shriek, "I'M GOING TO KILL BOTH OF YOU!"  
  
"What about pacifism?" Rei yelled as the sounds of a chase unsued.  
  
"FUCK PACIFISM!" She screeched back.  
  
"OW! That was my leg!" He heard Dorothy scream.  
  
Shaking his head, Millardo moved away from the door as something   
breakable was broken. He wondered exactly what'd he'd missed about that little   
exchange, but walked away down the hall.  
  
"BONZAIIIIII!" Someone screamed. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"This is going to be a looooooong day." He muttered, seeing Noin rush   
toward him, holding something in her hand that she waved about like gold.   
"Zechs!"  
  
"A very long day." He thought back to the blonde woman and wondered how   
someone so beautiful could be so cruel.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
A manicured, delicate, pale hand moved a knight and took a pawn from her   
opponet.  
  
"So, Mangetsu, do you know what they say about the repression of   
memories?"  
  
A chubby, girlish hand took her bishop and captured a rook.   
  
"What's that, Shorisha?"   
  
Moving her knight again, Shorisha took the bishop.  
  
"When someone takes bad memories and tries to forget them."  
  
Mangetsu studied the chessboard that wasn't a chessboard before picking   
up her queen and moving it back toward her own side.  
  
"No, Shorisha. What they say?"  
  
Smirking, Shorisha moved her own queen forward.   
  
"That as people get older, bad things happen."  
  
Mangetsu frowned and moved her rook closer to Shorisha's queen.  
  
"What sorts of bad things?"  
  
Shorisha took Mangtsu's queen with her own.   
  
"The memories just explode out. And then..." She watched as Mangtsu   
tried to move her king out of harm's way. Grinning, Shorisha moved her queen   
in the proper position.   
  
"Checkmate."  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi shot up in bed and immediatly clamped both her hands to strangle   
her scream. The girl.... the girl was Mangetsu... but the woman... who was the   
woman? What did she mean?   
  
She looked cautiously over at Rei's empty bed and then glanced at the   
clock.... it wasn't time for her to wake up yet.   
  
She stumbled out of bed, knocking over a table before she got into the   
bathroom. Not bothering to turn on the light, she found the sink and turned on   
the facet. Scooping up a handful of water, she threw it on her face and then   
grabbed a towel and rubbed her face ferociously.  
  
"What the fuck--" She noticed a strange glow in the mirrow. She reached   
over and turned on the light.  
  
"Oh, FUCK!" She muttered, sinking to the floor. "Oh fuck. Not now."  
  
Almost as if the damn thing had a mind of it's own, her communicator   
took it's cue to beep. She reached over and pressed the button, but didn't   
bother to look into the face. She couldn't let Rei see her.  
  
"Usagi? Are you there?" Rei's tiny voice floated up.  
  
"Yeah." Usagi said, wiping some of the sweat off of her face. "What's   
going on?"  
  
"Listen..." Rei said. "They found this guy trying to sneak in. He swears   
he knows someone here, but he won't give us a name and won't talk. Just wants   
to see this girl."  
  
Usagi scowled. "So what do you need me for?"  
  
Rei laughed nervously. "Well, the guy's a walking army. We've lifted   
enough weapons off of him to outfit Millardo's entire guard, and we need him   
to talk. And since I'm not so good at getting people to talk..."  
  
"No way."  
  
"Usagi, it's your duty. He's probably trying to kill Relena." Rei   
insisted.   
  
"Rei, I'm really not having a good time right now. I'll probably kill   
him."  
  
She could practially see Rei shrug. "So?"  
  
Usagi grabbed the towel. "Where are you?" She asked finally, wiping off   
her arms.  
  
Rei's voice betrayed her smile. "At the front doors."  
  
Usagi sighed. "Be right there." She turned the communicators off and   
went back into the dark bedroom. She turned on the light and grabbed a long,   
black dress shirt and wearily pulled it on and buttoned it. Considering it   
reached her knees and she was wearing underwear, she didn't bother finding a   
pair of pants. Searching in a drawer, she came up with a box of make-up.   
  
Making short work of the abnormality that now existed on her face, she   
grabbed her broach and a gun and headed downstairs.  
  
She saw the commotion almost immediatly. Several guards and Rei stood in   
a loose group, and two of the guards had tight grips on a young man. She   
sighed and brushed her hair out of her face, wondering when it'd gotten loose.  
  
Rei looked up at the stairs just then and saw Usagi.  
  
"Usagi! What took you so long that you couldn't even get some clothes   
on?" She grinned. Usagi scowled at her.  
  
"Why's this kid so fucking important?" Dreams of her past and the mark   
that now scarred her face made her even more irritable than if she'd just   
fought one of those youma that just kept coming back. She pushed past the   
gawking soldiers and up to Rei.  
  
"Well, he says he knows this girl, and that she's here. But he's   
describing a girl... well..." Rei turned around. The man was facing away from   
them. "Describe her again!" She ordered.  
  
The man smirked and didn't look up.  
  
"She's tall. She's beautiful, deadly beautiful. Always was. I watched   
her when she was little in the dungeons. She has long, long sun-golden hair.   
Big gray eyes. She was a miserable little creature, especially after the   
beatings."  
  
Usagi gritted her teeth and her fists clenched.   
  
"Good assassin, that girl was." He seemed to be laughing in his mind.   
"When she escaped the Sir had a fit like no other. But she had her own way of   
doing things. Seemed to know more about killing people than she was taught. I   
wondered exactly where Sir had gotten the bitchie, but he never said. I don't   
think he knew himself."  
  
Rei glared. "That's not what you said before." She accused.   
  
"Miss Hino..." One of the guards said, almost reluctantly. "He's   
describing the lady beside you."  
  
Rei started, and jumped to look at Usagi, whose eyes were tightly closed   
as she restrained herself from attacking the captive man. Rei frowned, her   
quick mind racing.  
  
"Get out of here." She snapped at the men in uniform. They looked   
uncertainly at one another. "NOW!" She roared. They dropped the man and   
retreated elsewhere.  
  
"Continue." She ordered the man, as he picked himself up off the floor.   
"What else?"  
  
"Oh, no, Miss Rei." The man said, mirth dripping from his voice. "I   
can't tell you anymore unless she tells me too. After all she's done to hide   
her past, it would be *most* unfair if I just burst in from no where and   
slashed *all* her hard work to pieces." He seemed to speak more to the furious   
Usagi than to Rei. "After all, Miss Rei, I'm a rational man."  
  
"Who are you?" Usagi asked from clenched teeth.  
  
He looked at her, an absurd innocent look on his face. "I'm hurt. But   
the question is, USAGI, *what* are *you*?" He smiled in a way that was not   
smiling. "You're certainly hard to get a hold of."  
  
Usagi open her eyes only to glare at him. "I like a quiet life."  
  
He did laugh at her, now. "Yes, I suppose being a bodyguard for the most   
famous person on the planet is a 'quiet life' for you." He tilted his head a   
little to one side, and Rei was fully aware of his cocky, arrogant stance and   
the way he looked at Usagi, respectfully but mockingly.   
  
"What else would you suggest I do? She's my neice." Usagi retorted.  
  
He nodded twice. "And even if she weren't, you need her. She's got an   
influence you can use to end the war. And her brother has the influence on the   
armies, but you didn't know that. You didn't need to! You've got all five   
pilots at your disposal since the phantasms are blackmailing the five   
scientists for you."  
  
"Who sent you?"  
  
"Can't you guess?"  
  
"Why did she send you?"  
  
"To give you something."  
  
"Then give it and go."  
  
"Aren't we a happy little bitchie?" He grinned. "I wasn't through having   
fun. But since you're cranky from all those bad, mysterious dreams and your   
other little *problems*...." His eyes travelled to her forehead.   
  
Flushing with anger, Usagi called him something that made Rei's eyes go   
wide. She'd not expected anything like that to fall out of Usagi's mouth,   
*ever*, and said so.  
  
"I've said worse."  
  
"I've been called worse." They replied at the same time, making Usagi   
glare and him smirk. He reached into his jacket, and took out a folded up   
piece of paper. He walked up to Usagi to give it to her. Rei reached into her   
own jacket to retrive her katanas.  
  
"No, Rei." Usagi stopped her.  
  
He bowed slightly before handing the paper to her, and then, surprising   
both Rei and Usagi, he hugged the blonde soldier tightly.  
  
"I am from Teikai, like you. Be careful, princess. You have enemies." he   
whispered quickly.  
  
He stepped back, bowed very low, and left quietly.  
  
While Rei ran after him, Usagi had frozen. Her lips formed the word   
"Teikai" and she opened the note mechanically, wondering why the phatasms had   
found him and sent him here.   
  
  
  
'We're very sorry to upset you like this, Mama Usagi,  
but this was the easiest way to push the events into  
play....'  
  
  
She frowned. They were interferring with her life again, the little   
brats. She read as they named a town on the opposite side of the world, and   
then more instructioned on how to find... the other senshi. Usagi nodded,   
comprehension dawning in her mind.   
  
  
  
'... Mangetsu was kidnapped by Shorisha, one of our  
and your enemies. She's very dangerous, Mama. Please  
be careful when you go to awaken the senshi. We're   
not supposed to be doing *any* of this...'  
  
Setsuna was really going to be pissed with them.   
  
'... try to hide your past and your newfound...   
erm... attributes from everyone else, and hold off  
from awakening the senshi. When you read this, you'll  
only have your birthmark. We can't say anymore.   
  
Ja!'  
  
Usagi cursed very loudly just as Rei returned, empty handed. She stuffed   
the paper in a pocket of the shirt and turned to glare at the martian.   
  
"Set up a perimeter around the entire damn school and then one around   
the entire kingdom! I don't want anyone coming in this kingdom unless it's a   
refugee, do you hear me?" She was all but screaming. "And I swear to god, if   
anyone gets in this kingdom who knows half as much as he did without a fucking   
escort saying he's a friend, I will knock this entire planet out of orbit:   
screw the eternal bliss of Crystal Tokyo!"  
  
She stomped out of the hall, snarling at an unfortunate maid who was   
coming out of a room, her arms laden with blankets.  
  
"What's her problem?" She asked Rei, heading up the stairs.  
  
"I'm not sure." Rei replied, as she took out her henshin stick and   
stared at it. She made up her mind quickly, and ran down another corridor,   
shouting for Noin. Follow orders now, kill Usagi later.  
  
~'~  
  
And I have NO idea where any of that just came from. *glares at her mountain dew* It was YOU, wasn't it? Wasn't it? WASN'T IT?! ANSWER ME! ANSWER MEEEEEEE! Damn you, DIEEEEEEE!  
  
Next time on ROS: Usagi gets a new hairdo to hide her forehead and accepts a mission that could send her into all sorts of beautiful trouble and ass-kicking moments. Rei and Relena get a visit from Ayame, freaky little girl number whatever, after Relena displays her somewhat disturbing knowledge of warfare and her really scary sources and connections. *shivers*. Usagi is taken prisoner and Duo learns a little about her unexpected past.  
  
Review, please. Or my little green sadistic monkey will chew gleefully upon your spleen. Thank you! *evil grin*  
  
PS. Gleefully. Glee. Gleeful. Gleefullyyyy. Glee. GLEE! GLEE! GLEEEEEEEE!  
  
PPS. That's so much fun to say. ^_^. GLEEFULLY. GLEE. 


	9. The New And Improved Prison Cell

The Reflection of a Soul, chapter 9  
black beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
~'~  
  
  
Uhm, since I'm HAPPY right now, I have no rants, compliants, or such-what. Weird.   
  
*sigh*...  
  
Uhm, anyway... here you are, chapter 9. My sappiness has not affected this chapter. I do not make promises for further chapters, however. ^_^;;  
  
  
note from final copy of ROS: I have taken extreme liberties with Usagi's past and Princess Serenity's as well. I've seen four seasons and two of the movies and the only bit where it actually says anything about Usagi's past is where she gives Chibi-Mamo-chan a rose in the R movie. So I spun off on that idea... heh heh, god, you're all going to hate me. I do some of my best darkhorror stuff in this...  
  
Like I said, this is where is starts getting dark. And where I start explaining. So no upset mommies.   
  
Warnings: Verbal/Physical abuse. Evil little girls. Foul language. Rape hints. Child endangerment/abuse/torture hints.   
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi made the young girl sit down in a chair. She herself paced. As a   
quick fix, she'd found a black bandana and tied it around her forehead, but it   
wouldn't work forever, and Rei was already interrogating her to death. She'd   
tried the makeup, but it wore off much too quickly... she'd found that out the   
hard way after she'd returned to her room that night a few days ago and found   
that her mark was all but visable, the makeup having worn away from her sweat.  
  
The girl was going to help her. She was a maid, one of the many faces in   
the palace. She was very quiet, young, and shy, the main reasons Usagi had   
singled her out.  
  
"You can't tell anyone that you've come here." Usagi said tersely. Rei   
was with Relena right now, and would be for two more hours before Usagi took   
over until midnight, working in their eight hour patterns. "No one, do you   
hear me? Not your family, not your friends, not anyone. I'll protect you if   
anyone harasses you."  
  
The girl nodded, somewhat terrified, but mostly curious. "Yes, ma'am."  
  
Usagi nodded, satisfied with that. "Alright, then. They said you were   
good with hair... and well, I'm not. I've fixed it only one way my entire   
life... it two odango." She smiled ruefully. "I should probably cut it...   
but... I don't have the heart."  
  
"Cut your hair!" The girl seemed horrified at the suggestion. Usagi's   
hair was beautiful and thick, and almost completely silver-white. Not to   
mention how very long it was. A few more inches and it would drag the floor,   
and yet there wasn't a single tangle in the luxurious mass.  
  
Usagi nodded. "That's about my attitude. It's never been cut, not once.   
Except to get the dead ends cut off. But I've got a problem." She hesitated   
for minute.  
  
The girl frowned. "My name is Jitisuki. You can trust me."  
  
Usagi reached up and untied the bandana. She pulled it away and the soft   
glow of the crescent moon on her forehead pulsated ever so slightly. It was a   
beautiful, shimmering silver and made the face that it was set in look serene   
and dignified. Like a queen.  
  
"I need you to fix my hair so that the insignia is hidden." Usagi said,   
searching the girl's facinated face carefully. "I don't want anyone to see   
it."  
  
"I don't know why." The girl breathed. "It's so beautiful."  
  
Usagi grinned. "Thank you. But I can't have anyone see it. It's... it   
would raise questions I don't want to answer. It stands for a lot of painful   
memories."  
  
Jitisuki nodded. "I suppose I could braid part of it to be twisted   
around your forehead. Your hair is certainly long enough."  
  
Usagi's hand flew to her mouth, and she started laughing. "Yes, like   
Berdi! I should have thought of her; that's what she did." She laughed a   
little and nodded. "Yes, please do that, if you wouldn't care."  
  
The girl stood up and moved behind Usagi, who sat on the corner of her   
bed.   
  
"What kind of memories?" She asked softly, seperating Usagi's thick   
locks. She picked up a strategically picked handful and began to braid it   
tightly.  
  
"Bad memories." Usagi answered. "From my childhood." She shuddered a   
little. Jitisuki nodded.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, her voice kind.  
  
Usagi closed her eyes. "No." Talking would make her remember. Then... "A   
little."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
Usagi kept her eyes closed. "When I was very young... very, very young.   
I was about four. I had left my nurse and wandered into the middle of the   
market. Someone saw the mark on my forehead and I remember him saying, 'I   
don't belive it, look at the miserable creature'... I remember because I had   
never been called anything but princess and I wanted to know if Miserable-  
creature was my name. When I asked him, he picked me up and took me away."   
Usagi paused. "I had no idea what he was. He took me to..." She almost said   
Earth. "... to a place were I was kept in a little stone room." She sighed.   
"That room was the only thing I knew until I was eleven."  
  
Jitisuki finished the braid. "Do you have a rubber band and some   
hairpins?" She asked. Usagi nodded, and motioned to a table beside them.   
Jitisuki leaned over and retrieved them.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it anymore. If I did..." She smiled wryly.   
"I'd have to kill you."  
  
Jitisuki wrapped the braid around Usagi's forehead, and the mark was   
covered, and pinned it there. Working carefully but quickly, she pulled the   
rest of the silver tresses into a french knot, secruing it all with pins.  
  
"It's very elegant." Usagi reached back to feel it. "I always wondered   
how it was done."  
  
"It's easy." Jitisuki blushed. "But I'll do it whenever you want me to."  
  
Usagi nodded, picking up a handmirror and inspecting the handiwork.   
"Thank you. I have a mission later on tonight and I was afraid I would have   
lost the bandana." But she stuffed the cloth into a pocket anyway.   
  
Jitisuki smiled. "You're welcome."  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rei was drumming her fingers over a table top, listening to Relena give   
her detailed plans of her evening, which would be spent at an extravigant   
dance held for the school. Rei had to admit, it would quite an affair.   
  
She was about to ask just how many guests were expected when a young   
soldier burst into the hall, his face red. He gasped for a few seconds,   
catching his breath before he spoke.  
  
"Hino-san," He managed to say. "Tsukino just left the palace. She left a   
message for you, 'Sorry I have to leave you with a double shift. I should be   
back.', and told me that you were not allowed to follow her." He was breathing   
easier, but looked worried. "She said she was given a mission."  
  
Rei cursed in a dead language and stood up. "Bring me a vid." She   
ordered. The soldier turned tail and ran.  
  
"Where did she go?" Relena asked, wishing Dorothy was there.   
  
Rei bit her lip. "I have no idea. But Usagi wouldn't lie about a misson.   
She probably did get one, concerning something important. I trust her." She   
added mentally, "On most things."  
  
Relena nodded. "It probably had to do with Duo. He was captured two days   
ago by OZ during a mission, and none of the pilots have received orders yet.   
She probably got the mission."  
  
Rei's jaw dropped and she stared at Relena, who blushed. "How do you   
know?"  
  
Relena grinned a little. "I have all sorts of sources. I know where they   
are every second of the day, usually. I'm the first to kow when one's captured   
because of all the taps I have on OZ and Romafeller. I knew when you were   
captured because they thought you were gundam pilots."  
  
"But we're girls!"  
  
"They don't know that all the pilots are male. And with Duo, I'm not   
even sure that they'll be sure he's a guy. You have to admit, with that braid   
of his..."  
  
Rei flushed a little. "I like his braid." She defended the pilot of   
Deathscythe, causing Relena to look at her, grinning.  
  
"You like him."  
  
Rei gasped. "I do not!"  
  
"Oh, you do too. You know you do." Relena teased.   
  
Rei crossed her arms. "I resent that. Hino Rei does not *like* anyone."   
She said stubbornly.   
  
Relena rolled her eyes. "Back to the subject."  
  
"Yes, thank you." Both girls turned around quickly. "Oh, now, don't mind   
me! I'm just watching you two bicker over a subject that's already been   
decided."  
  
It was Ayame, but they couldn't have known that. What they saw was an   
eight-year-old girl wearing a gray pleated shirt and a white blouse with big   
blue eyes and sky-colored hair. She smiled at their dumbfoundedness.  
  
"Hello, little girl..." Relena said cautiously. "How did you get in   
here?"  
  
Rei just glared. "What are you?"  
  
Ayame laughed. "I'm so flattered, SailorMars! You didn't even have to   
blink, you just knew. My kudos to you." She jumped down from her perch on the   
window sill and made a sweeping bow before turning to Relena. "How did I get   
in here? That's easy. I appeared."  
  
"You appeared."  
  
"Sure did. But I didn't come here to explain the sciences of   
teleportation." Ayame shrugged. "I'd love to, but it's not the time. You can   
always ask Mercury for a lecture." Her face, still round with leftover   
babyfat, grew solemn. "Relena, you need to have a med unit ready. You're   
right, she *is* going to save Duo-oji-chan. But something will go wrong and   
well..." Ayame smiled. "You know how Usagi is, Rei. Trouble loves her almost   
as much as Seiya did."  
  
Rei's mouth open and closed as she searched for something to say,   
unbelieving.   
  
Finally: "What do you mean?"  
  
Ayame pouted. "Just do what I said! You don't want her to die, now after   
all this, do you?" She winked and vanished.  
  
Relena didn't even bother to look away from the place where Ayame once   
occupied. "Did you see that too?" She asked cautiously, wondering if her lover   
was right and actually was straining herself too much.  
  
Rei didn't answer. She held up her wirst and hit a button on her   
communicator. "Goddamnit, Usagi, you'd better answer." She muttered.   
  
Relena leaned over just as Usagi's tense face appeared on the watch-  
face. "Hey, what's with the braid?" She asked.  
  
Rei overrode her. "Usagi, one of those freaky little kids just appeared   
and told us to get a frigging med unit ready for your welcoming party. What   
the FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" She shouted.  
  
Usagi giggled a little. "Keep it down, Rei." She whispered. "I'm on the   
perimeters of the base." She looked at the furious senshi. "I'm rescuing Duo.   
And the security's really tight, so if the girl told you to get a med unit   
ready, I guess that's what you're gonna have to do." She bit her lip. "You   
know what, Rei?"  
  
"WHAT!" Rei rubbed her temple with her free hand.  
  
"I don't think even Sailor Moon can do this. This security is really   
fucking something else. You think they've got Princess Diana's corpse in here   
instead of a kid."  
  
"No, Usagi, don't you dare let them know--"  
  
"Sorry, Rei." Usagi shrugged. "Had to be sometime."  
  
"NO, USAGI, DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE--"  
  
Usagi smiled sadly. "Get that med team ready. I'm sorry, Relena." The   
little screen went black, and Rei shouted something that really wasn't   
suitable for anyone under the age of twenty-five to hear. Relena struggled   
with the color in her face as she asked, "What was that about?"  
  
Rei cursed again and looked up at Relena. "Go ahead with your party,   
Relena. I'll get the med team ready for a guy with a braid and an odangoed   
blonde in a white dress." She sighed. "And make sure they've got lots of   
bandaids."  
  
Relena looked confused. "White dress? What was she talking about, Rei?"  
  
"It's a long story, Relena. A really long story."  
  
Relena reached over the table and turned the vid phone on. Paegan   
answered... "Miss Relena!"  
  
"Paegan, postpone the party. Something very urgent has come up and I   
won't be able to make it."  
  
"But Miss--"  
  
"Tell him to have it without you." Rei said.  
  
Relena repeated it, and Paegan nodded, and the screen went blank. Relena   
pulled up two chairs.  
  
"I've got time. Spill."  
  
Rei sighed. "It started a long time ago..."  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi crept closer, to the last line of trees before open feild. There   
was a fifty-yard dash to the fence that was completely open ground. She closed   
her eyes and counted to ten.   
  
She'd done things like this before. But never with so much at stake. Duo   
was her friend. He was the thousand greats grandson of a fellow senshi.   
  
She would never get to the fence without being spotted. Spotted and   
shot.   
  
She took two of her pistols and her broach and placed them in her   
subspace pocket, where no one but herself could get to them. OZ would be   
satisfied with the other guns she carried, and the knives.   
  
Taking a deep breath, she raised her hands in the air and walked out of   
her cover.  
  
Almost immediatly, a light was shown on her and she was surrounded by   
guards, all of whom had a full loaded gun trained on her every movement. She   
saw a couple of dogs and smiled benignly at them.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" One of the soldiers demanded.  
  
"02 is my boyfriend." She lied quickly. "I want him back." She lifted   
her chin in a stubborn, vain show of courage. She didn't even flush at the   
barrage of laughter that followed her remark. The soldier stepped forward.   
  
He looked her up and down appreciatively, his hard eyes lingering on her   
long, silver hair. "Now, what's a gorgeous little thing like you want with a   
kid like him? He's gotta be, what, thirteen?"  
  
She looked up at him, angry. "And you've got to be what, a neanderthah?"   
She retorted, stepping back from him as he stepped closer. "I like him."  
  
One of his eyebrows lifted. "And do you just call him oh-two when you   
fuck him, sweetie?"  
  
Her cheeks went red with indignity, and she didn't answer. He nodded,   
satisfied with the reaction. He stepped closer still.   
  
With a look around, he gave his order. "Search her."  
  
She gave no reaction as she was frisked in a less than routine way. She   
watched as all of her weapons were found, removed, and thrown on the ground   
too far away for her to reach. She looked over at them longingly, wishing she   
could go for them.   
  
The solder from before had watched maliciously while she was being   
manhandled, and now spoke up again. "What's your name?"  
  
"I haven't got one."  
  
"Bullshit."  
  
She raised her chin at him even more. "Why should I tell you, you   
coward?" He raised his hand to strike her, and she raised her face to meet his   
hand. "Go ahead. I'm not afraid of you."  
  
"You should be, bitchie."  
  
She shrugged. "I figure you won't kill me. And if you do, you'd be doing   
us all a favor. And as long as you don't kill me, I'm alive."  
  
He sneered. "I could make you wish you were dead."  
  
This made her smile. "Grab a number and stand in line. You're not the   
first."  
  
"WHat's your name?" He demanded again.  
  
"Tell me your's and I might recover from my amnesia."  
  
"Second Liutenant Anderson."  
  
She grinned at him. "I'll remember that. Now remember mine. It's   
Serenity. You're going to hear that one again, Mr. Anderson."  
  
"Yeah. At the wake."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
He spat at her in disgust. "Beat some answers out of her and heighten   
security. She's probably just a foil."  
  
Usagi didn't resist as she was dragged away, but kept her eyes on   
Anderson, who turned away.  
  
"I'll remember you!" She called back, smiling. "Oh, I'll remember you."   
She muttered to herself.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Duo jumped up, ready to fight, when the door of his cell was kicked   
open. He expected the hourly interogation soldiers were back to kick him   
around again, but instead Usagi was led inside. The two soldiers pushed her to   
the floor and laughed.   
  
"Here's your girlfriend, 02. Hope you don't mind if we roughed her up a   
little." One of them mocked him and then left, slamming the floor shut.  
  
Duo helped the blonde to her feet. "What did they do to you?" He asked   
angrily. "Why are you here?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "I've had much, much worse treatment that what those   
baffoons gave me. And I'm here to get you out." She frowned a little and   
looked around. "Damn. This is some five-star prison cell."  
  
Duo looked at her, his mind processing the hints she was dropping like a   
cat sheds fur. "I suppose you've been in others for the comparison?"   
  
She nodded, still looking around. "I lived in one for the first fourteen   
years of my last life. In this one, I had worse than prison cells." She   
nodded, tapping the walls. "Lots worse. At least this one shouldn't drop below   
freezing."  
  
His eyes narrowed. "Where have you been, Usagi?"  
  
She looked back at him, her eyes sad. "Places that no child should ever   
see, Duo. I'm sure you've got an idea of what I mean." She smiled wryly.   
"What's so bad about this dump?"  
  
He motioned around in a sweeping gesture. "No windows."  
  
She sat down on one of the cots. "I see your point. But no one in their   
right mind places a gundam pilot in a room with windows. But I'll tell you   
something: it would have made my life easier if they had."  
  
He frowned at her curiously. "How'd you get in here?"  
  
She looked away, flushing. "Well, I thought about it a little, and then   
I just put my hands in the air and walked out into their security ring. It was   
the fastest, most stress-free way in."  
  
"Did they touch you?"  
  
"Don't ask stupid questions, Duo." She sighed. "Like I said. It wasn't   
half as bad as they could have made it." She shrugged. "But I'm telling you...   
they went easy on me. It makes me wonder what kind of stuff you get when   
you're taken in."  
  
Duo shuddered. "Don't ask, don't tell."  
  
She stretched her arms and looked over at him. "Hey, do you mind if I   
take a nap before I get us out of here? Just a quick one." She held out her   
arms, full of bruises and cuts. As he watched, they healed. "I'm tired."  
  
He shrugged. "Yeah. It's probably best if you sleep for a while   
anyway... they're real jumpy right now. Give 'em a few hours and they'll slack   
off. At least with you here, they might switch to bi-hourly instead of   
hourly."  
  
She smiled at him and stretched out over the hard cot. "Thanks, Duo."   
Using one of her pale arms for a pillow, she was asleep in a few seconds.  
  
Sighing, Duo sat back down on his own cot and leant against the wall,   
listening to the silence. He couldn't explain it, but he was less tense with   
her in here. After all, she'd managed to bust out of a cell once. Maybe she   
could do it again.  
  
He still wondered how a stunning body like that held some of the   
deadilest power in the universe. Rei had to have been trippin.  
  
Except-- he had never seen Rei eat anything. Usagi had, of course, but   
then Rei had said Usagi loved to eat. And Rei had transformed in front of them   
that one time she flipped...   
  
"I dunno." Duo said softly. "You're a mysterious babe, babe, but you've   
got some weird questions to answer. I couldn't sleep in one of these places if   
I tried."  
  
"She used to live in one worse than this."  
  
Duo fell out of the cot, hitting his head against the wall. Rubbing the   
bump, he peeked over the edge and saw Tomodachi.  
  
"Now, listen, you little--" He stopped when he saw the tearstains on her   
cheeks and the miserable expression on her face. His tone softened to pure   
tenderness. "Hey, what happened to you, kid?"  
  
Tomodachi shrugged. "Death, destruction, chaos, you know the gig better   
than I, Duo Maxwell." She looked over at the sleeping Usagi. "Mama Usagi is   
very brave."  
  
Duo climbed back on the cot. "Whatever. Now, what did you say? Before I   
fell off the rock?"  
  
Tomodachi smiled a little. "That she lived in one worse than this. She   
is quite comfortable in small, cinderblock rooms." She looked down, sadly.   
"And even moer comfortable with beatings. She had a childhood I would not wish   
on the worst of my enemies." She looked back at Duo. "Kind of like your's."  
  
"I doubt she had anything near mine."  
  
Tomodachi's eyebrows lifted. "She was stolen from her mother's palace   
when she was two years old and thrown into a six-by-twelve room. She was   
beaten continuously when she cried and wasn't allowed to show any form of   
emotion." Her face went sour. "The Master considered it weakness. He trained   
her how to use weaponry and tortured her whenever she disobeyed or showed   
weakness. She began to assassinate people when she was seven, and got into the   
more... nasty... work... when she was ten."  
  
Duo closed his eyes. "They like 'em young." He muttered.  
  
Tomodachi nodded. "She murdered Master when she was fourteen and went   
looking for her past. The moment she stepped foot in her mothers kingdom she   
was recognized and taken before the queen, who made her go through a different   
kind of training. She was trained to be a puppet."  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" Duo asked, interrupting the little girl.   
"Are you trying to make me pity her?"  
  
Tomodachi's eyes narrowed. "No. Don't pity her at all. She doesn't need   
pitied." She stressed it. "You just need to understand she knows what pain is,   
Duo. She's not the pampered, happy-go-lucky princess Rei thinks she is. You   
have to *trust* her."  
  
He looked at her. "Rei doesn't know?"  
  
Tomodachi shook her head.  
  
"Why not? I mean, Rei's her best friend, right?"  
  
"She's never told anyone. She didn't even tell her mother."  
  
"But-- how-- why--"  
  
"She's afraid of what they will think of her." Tomodachi was solemn.   
"She did very questionable things."  
  
"We all do."  
  
Tomodachi frowned, shaking her head slowly. "No, Duo. You don't   
understand. She's a princess, and soon she will be queen. All her life she's   
had to act so people won't guess what she was. She'll have to explain it to   
the senshi, of course, but..." Tomodachi bit her lip. "Some people won';t   
understand that she had to do as she was told."  
  
Duo looked away. "You can always disobey orders."  
  
"No, Duo. She would have been beaten silly. You can't ask her to have   
done otherwise."  
  
He didn't look at her. "I trust her, kid."  
  
Tomodachi smiled. "Yeah, I know."  
  
"Then why'd you come?"  
  
"To tell you you're not alone in this. Tell her she's not alone."  
  
"She's asleep."  
  
"So you tell her."  
  
"ME!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because... well..."  
  
"Aw, Shinigami's blushing..."  
  
"I am not!" Duo protested, his face red.  
  
Tomodachi smirked at him. "Of course not, Tomato-Head."  
  
  
~'~  
  
I warned you.   
  
Next chapter: Usagi and Duo kick ass on Oz and escape. Death makes his cameo at the request of the author's friend and Usagi flees. Lots of snow. Bits and pieces of Usagi's past is revealed in nightmares and Millardo (?!) comforts her.   
  
That's it in a nutshell, because I don't feel like details today. All I can say is that the next chappie is quite interesting... muwahahahahahaha....  



	10. Snow Covered Splendor

Reflections of a Soul, chapter 10  
Snow Covered Splendor  
black beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
~'~  
  
Apology posted in my new profile. Here's chapter 10, chock full   
of new twists and Usagi kicking ass and then getting her ass kicked.  
I have resolved to curse less in future chapters. Have fun!  
  
~'~   
  
  
  
Usagi awoke some time later to loud voices. Cautiously, she   
gave no sign she'd awoken, but listened. Duo was arguing with the   
guard.  
  
"No, man, I told you, she's not my girlfriend."  
  
"Then who is she, smartass?"  
  
"How the hell am I supposed to know?"  
  
"Well, then I'm sure you won't mind if we just have a little   
fun with her--"  
  
She heard a rustling as Duo stood up to block the two   
guards. "You touch her and you die."  
  
She rolled her eyes.   
  
"Why do you care? She's not your bitch."  
  
"Your vocabulary amazes me." She said quietly, but they   
heard her very clearly. "So far I've been called a total of two   
things by you people. Bitch, and bitchie. I'm going to start   
thinking that's my actual name."  
  
Duo grinned, but didn't take his eyes off the gaurds. "'Bout   
time you woke up, babe. You'd sleep through a hurricane. Not a   
good habit for an assassin."  
  
Something dark flashed in her eyes. "Believe me, it took a   
long time to be able to sleep through noise, Shini."" She pushed   
herself into a sitting position, and then swung her legs over the   
side of the cot and turned to observe the action. She smiled, and   
took off her jacket, leaving only the tanktop.  
  
"Hello, fellas." She stood up. "Back for more?" Her hands   
were behind her, and in one of her palms she grasped her broach   
tightly.  
  
One of the soldiers laughed, but the other shrugged.  
  
"So what if we are?"  
  
Usagi motioned to Duo with her eyes, gesturing he should   
step back. He fought to keep from grinning as he stepped away.  
  
She looked up at them through her eyelashes. "May I say   
something first?" She asked, her voice pure silk.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Four words." She didn't even try to keep the smile out of   
her eyes.  
  
"Fine."  
  
She chuckled softly, menacingly. They had just sealed their   
fate with a kiss. She looked to Duo, and winked, as if to tell him   
everything was going to be alright. Brings her hands around, she   
held the broach in the air.  
  
She closed her eyes. "Moon Eternal..." She smiled. "Make,   
UP!"  
  
For a moment, Duo believed the world had exploded, but no,w   
it was only the broach as it opened and the most beautiful light   
filled the room and lifted the slender woman into the air, burning   
her clothing away with pure intensity.  
  
He had never seen anything more beautiful.  
  
Feathers and moonbeams mingled to twist around her, forming   
a uniform of light and silver. Wings errupted from her   
shoulderblades, real, feather, angel wings. The mark on her   
forehead gleamed with newfound strength as the final touches were   
added with splashs of pink and silver, and then the light finally   
released her to land delicately, her scepter in hand, and aimed at   
the dumfounded soldiers.  
  
She smiled peacefully at them.  
  
"You should never fuck with Princess Serenity, folks.   
Because she does not live up to her name." Her tone was warm and   
friendly, but her next course of action was not.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was seven hours later when Duo dragged the unconscious   
Sailormoon up to the gates of the Sanq Palace. Rei was waiting   
with two fully outfitted medical teams, and Relena stood beside   
her with Dorothy at her side. Dorothy looked delighted as Rei took   
Usagi from Duo's arms and let the paramedics take over while Duo   
was led away by another set of doctors and he protested that he   
needed no medical attention whatsoever.   
  
"She's lost a lot of-- oh, my god, what's wrong with her!"   
One of the medics sounded horrified at the dark purplish substance   
leaking from Sailor Moon's side. "Is that her blood?"  
  
Rei grabbed his collar, scowling like nothing else. "Listen,   
wingbag, you'll treat her or you'll die. How about that?"  
  
The man stared up at her, petrified. He nodded slowly, and   
she released him so her could work on her leader. She headed back   
over to where Duo was trying to ward off the doctors and forced   
him to lie still while his wounds were dressed.  
  
Relena and Dorothy laughed as she held the boy down. Dorothy   
leaned over and whispered something in Relena's ear and the dark   
blonde girl gasped and turned a bright cherry red. Rei looked over   
at them and shook her head.  
  
She wondered what Millardo would say when he figured out   
that his little sister and Dorothy Catalonia were lovers. If her   
  
observations of the tall prince were close to his real self, he'd   
probably have a coronary.  
  
Hmm... that thought probably shouldn't have been half as   
entertaining as it really was...   
  
"Goddamn it!" They heard a loud yell from where Sailormoon   
was being attended to. One of the paramedics had leapt back,   
clutching his hand, or what was left of it, to his chest. The   
other three medics soon followed as a strange, cloaked man   
approached, his red eyes glowing from beneath a low hood.  
  
"Get away." He rasped. Duo stilled and Rei moved cautiously   
towards the new figure. Relena fell back a little as Dorothy stepped   
forward. Both were confused, but ready to take action.  
  
"Who are you?" Rei called, wishing for all the world she could   
see his face. Maybe that would help her determine his-- or her, for   
that matter, intentions.  
  
The red eyes swung towards her, and she was shocked at the  
way he seemed to mock her. "You already know that." There was a sneer,   
there. He stepped close to the stretcher where Sailormoon   
lay.   
  
Narrowing her eyes, Rei took ahold of her heshin stick and   
prepared to transform. "What do you want with her?" She demanded.  
  
This time, the eyes didn't loom away from the prone figure.   
"Stop being defensive, miko. You, of any and all, should know what   
I am." A gloved hand reached out from the confines of the cloak to   
caress one pale cheek of the unconscious princess. "I harbor no   
ill will towards my messiah."  
  
"Your--- messiah?" Rei fumbled for a memory... something   
Haruka had once said during the fight for the grail... that   
Usagi... no! She'd said different-- but--   
  
"She can't be the messiah!" Rei exclaimed. "Saturn is!"  
  
There was a very slight, low chuckle. "Ye gods." The hand   
strked the silver tresses tenderly. "What has thine world come   
to?" He said, more to her tha to anyone else.  
  
"Get away from her." Relena's voice trembled where it was   
meant to be firm. She was ignored completely, something she wasn't   
used to. Dorothy bristled visably, but watched.   
  
Finally, the figure replied to Rei's protest, in a voice   
lined with pure amusement and a bit of pity. "There are two   
messiahs. One for those who live for light and one for the rest,   
who dwell in shadow. This is one of the two. And she is dying."  
  
Duo watched. He knew this man-- he knew him like no one else   
could.  
  
"What-- what is your name?" Rei asked, hesitating. She   
didn't like how familiar he was with her leader, her sister in   
arms. And she didn't like how he treated her-- like he was somehow   
beyond her level.  
  
"Rei..." Duo whispered from hehind her. He sat up, ignoring   
the rpotest of pain that went though his muscles. "That's...   
that's Shinigami." He didn't know how else to tell her.   
  
Rei spun to stare at Duo, and then turned just as quickly to   
stare at him-- at Death. "You're joking." She said softly.   
  
The figure just shook his head.   
  
"You can't have her." It was more of a plea than an order.   
  
He looked up at her again, and the glow of his eyes dimmed   
somewhat. "Didn't you know, Princess?" He asked mockingly. Her   
face soured. "Didn't you know?" He repeated.  
  
Duo caught on, and something deep in his mind suddenly   
clicked, and a slow grin spread out on his face. He didn't know   
how he knew, but he knew.   
  
And for some reason, it amused the hell out of him.  
  
His grin vanished, however, when those crimson eyes were   
upon his own violet ones. But he was not afraid. How could he be   
afraid of his own father? His brother?  
  
Shinigami turned to look at Rei again. "I can't take her,   
miko. I can never take her. She will never be mine. I may only   
save her."  
  
"Save her?" Rei questioned, Dorothy and Relena echoing her   
confusion.  
  
"He can't let her die." Duo said softly. "It's something   
about her... something about her innocence-- the innocence she can   
never loose, no matter what... it makes her..."  
  
"Immortal." Shinigami finished, looking back down at the   
beautiful moon maiden. "She as immortal as any god may be. And   
though gods die, she may not. There is something special about   
you, my messiah. Something quite strange." Rei would have sworn he   
was smiling. "Something I have never seen."  
  
He stepped back from the stretcher and looked straight at   
Relena.  
  
"I will see you soon." He said, his voice smirking as he   
faded into the shadows. "Soon."   
  
The very instant he was gone, a flash of light and ribbons   
signaled that Sailormoon had dehenshined. The sudden activity made   
all of them jump. The medics rushed forward again and Duo found   
himself restrained once more. Dorothy was comforting a near-  
hysterical Relena while Rei stared, dumbfounded, at the empty   
shadows.   
  
Her dark eyes flitted over Usagi, who was semi-conscious and   
screaming at someone called Morpheus while the medics were   
futilely trying to sedate her.  
  
Something that glinted silver caught her eye and shook her   
out of her stupor. She practically ran the few steps to Usagi's   
side, throwing a medic out of her frantic rush, and looked down at   
her friend, who was thrashing half heartedly as she cursed an   
unseen man.  
  
Set into the center of Usagi's forehead like it had been   
there here entire like, a silver cresent moon shone ever so   
softly. Rei cursed, pushed the remaining medic out of her way, and   
rolled Usagi on her back on a blind impulse.   
  
The curse that flew out of her mouth then was one she'd   
never thought she'd hear herself say when she saw the wings, the   
beautiful, long, white, feathered wings that extruded so naturally   
from Usagi's shoulderblades. They hadn't left when Usagi   
dehenshined!  
  
She let Usagi fall back onto ehr back and slapped her as   
hard as she could.   
  
Usagi gasped, and looked up at Rei reproachfully, her hands   
on her cheek. "What was that for?" She demanded, and then humbled   
at the furious expression on Rei's face. "What's wrong?" She tried   
to sit up, but Rei stopped her. "Is Duo alright?"  
  
"I'm fine, babe!" Duo called out merrily. "They're over here   
killing me, but hey, it's the Sanq Kingdom, right? No fighting."  
  
Usagi giggled a little, but Rei was still glaring down at   
her.  
  
"It's not Duo." Rei growled. "It's you. You-- you're   
Serenity-- you didn't tell me!" Her face was red with anger.   
  
Usagi's hands flew up to her forehead-- she didn't have to   
feel for her wings. She knew they were there. Her lips formed an o   
as she looked away guiltily.   
  
"I was afraid." She said, finally, aware of the stares from   
everyone there. "And I didn't want this to end. I don't want to   
become a queen." She said quietly. She sat up this time, and Rei   
didn't try to stop her. She ignored the exclaimations of surprise   
as she shifted her wings into a more comfortable position.   
  
Rei nodded, her anger diminishing. "Alright. I can   
understand that. I can do that, Usagi. But going on some suicide   
mission where you were nearly killed-- no! It is my damn duty to   
keep you from dying. Get used to it!"  
  
"I will never get used to it!"  
  
"Then live with it, damn it! You can't die!"  
  
"I KNOW I CAN'T!" Usagi screamed, and then remembered   
herself. "I can't die." She muttered. "Don't you think I know   
that, Rei? Not only am I not allowed to die-- the guardian of the   
gates of the Deadworld won't let me pass and Death refuses to lead   
me there. I'm fucking changing into a princess that died two   
thousand years ago-- and for what?"  
  
"I know how you feel, Usagi. I understand. But you are   
Serenity." Rei said, between clinched teeth.  
  
Usagi laughed, and stood up. She closed her eyes and smiled,   
self-mockingly, shaking her head. "No. That'd be too easy. No.   
Because I'm Fate's fucktoy, that's why. Fate decided that one bad   
childhood wasn't enough. No, she had to go and make my second one   
something that made a concentration camp look like Christmas! At   
least they kill the people there."  
  
"What do you mean--"  
  
"What do I mean?" Usagi cut Rei off angrily. "I mean that   
unlike you, I never had a choice! I've never had a choice in   
anything, but everyone tells me I do! Oh, Usagi, of course you   
have a choice! You can sacrifice yourself or watch all those years   
of torture and pain and screaming go down the drain like used   
toothpaste! You can do this or that, but either way you're fucked!   
How could you possibly know how I feel or understand any of this?   
  
"Did you always just assume that because I cried and I   
tripped and I laughed and I acted like there wasn't anything bad   
or wrong with the world that I'd lived a charmed life? Did you   
really and truly think that I was a golden child, happy and   
accepted and unscarred?  
  
"No." She stopped Rei from replying. "I don't want your   
answer. I know you did. I know you thought I was nothing but an   
Odango Atama, a dumb little blonde who could barely throw a punch-  
- let's not talk about leading the senshi!"  
  
"Usagi, I never meant--"  
  
"No one ever *means* to do anything, Rei. I never meant to   
be adopted by the Tsukinos, but I couldn't help it."  
  
"Adopted?"  
  
Usagi turned away, and found herself facing Duo. She pushed   
past him and stalked away, her fists clenched in shame at her   
burst of temper. Rei stared after her, speechless. She wasn't   
surprised when a small, chubby hand found its way into hers.  
  
She looked down into the sorrowful eyes of Mangetsu.  
  
"Mama Renty sad." Mangetsu told her, on the verge of tears   
herself. "Mama Renty very, very sad." The small child looked at   
the figure running away. "She is very hurt."  
  
Rei followed her gaze.  
  
"I know." She whispered. "I know."  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
There was something about snow. It made the forests of the   
far north so deadly silent, like something from a dream.   
Everything was so pure and white, and so quiet. If you closed your   
eyes you would loose yourself and fall into a chasm full of blue   
and violet kisses and black fire, a dreamworld.  
  
It was something her mother had told her, when she had been   
found and 'rescued'. Usagi had thought over many of the things   
Queen Serenity had told her during her re-education.   
  
Her mother had been such a wonderful storyteller, but she   
had always been right about the snow. It never snowed on the moon,   
but it had in Teikai. It was always snowy there, in that hellish   
prison. Always snowy, but never beautiful, because too often that   
snow was red, red with blood. Red snow--  
  
It was something her memory could never forget. Along with a   
thousand other sights, smells, and sounds. Some of them she had   
confided to the serene queen, others she would never tell anyone.   
Some of them were to be forever locked into the recesses of her   
mind, relived and retold only in the nightmares that came every   
night, striking with the same vengence every time, like an   
inflamed passion.   
  
She sighed. The nightmares might fade, and the memories   
might be forgotten, but the feeling would not. The feeling of   
loneliness, of solitude. It was something she'd always felt,   
something that had always been there. In ways, it was reassuring.   
In others, it tortured her.   
  
"You like it here."  
  
She didn't have to turn. She knew the voice, and recognized   
the step. How he had followed her, she could only wonder. She   
reached down and picked up a handful of the thick, light snow,   
molding it into a snowball. "Yes, I do." she said quietly.  
  
Millardo nodded. After a few hours of wheedling, Rei had   
convinced him to go after Usagi with the arguement that Usagi   
probably didn't want to see her. She had given him her strange   
watch that gave Usagi's location-- how the girl had gotten five-  
thousand miles north in the time span of two hours was beyond him.   
  
It had taken him the better part of a day travveling at Mach 4!  
  
But here she was, sitting on a flat stone in the center of a   
plain covered in snow two feet deep.   
  
"It's very quiet." He said. The snow was seeping into his   
pants and he was freezing his ass off, and here she was in a mini-  
skirt and a tank top, covered in the stuff and not even shivering.   
What the hell was she?!  
  
"If you're cold..." She said, adding more snow to the   
already huge snowball in her hands. "Find a rock."  
  
She was mocking him, he knew it. But he found a rock above   
snow level and cleared it off, taking a seat. Without the cold   
snow seeping into his clothing, it was a little better. But his   
soaked pants only froze and he was colder than before.  
  
"Why did you leave?" He asked, watching her setthe huge   
snowball down and begin making another. What was she doing--   
making a minature snowman?  
  
"Because I had made a fool out of myself." She replied,   
packing the snow tightly. "I needed to leave. Is that all you came   
for? To ask me questions?" She said angrily, slamming the second   
snowball on top of the first. She began on a third.  
  
"Well, actually, I'm supposed to bring you back to the Sanq   
Kingdom. But I figured I'd get on your good side first-- if you   
have one, that is." He was growing irritated with her. "Are you on   
some eternal PMS kick?"  
  
The third snowball went flying towards his head. He narrowly   
dodged it, just in time to see the second before it hit him square   
in the face.  
  
So much for Mr. Snowman.  
  
"Yes." She retorted. "Stop chattering your teeth. Your   
ruining the quiet."  
  
"But it's twenty below zero." He muttered.   
  
"I think it's perfect compared to the temperatures that you   
insist the palace must be." She said, tracing patterns in the   
virgin snow. "It's very clean and crisp... like nothing's ever   
wrong with the world." She said wistfully. "Clean, white snow."   
She sighed.  
  
Millardo looked at her curiously. "I'm beginning to think   
you've got some severe personality disorder. One minute you're   
cranky and the next you sound like... Winner..."   
  
"I *like* Quatre." Usagi defended the Arabian pilot. "He's   
nice." She turned to look at him and giggled. "You've got snow in   
your hair."  
  
"Gee, I wonder why."   
  
"You're starting to sound like Duo."  
  
He shot a feirce glare at her as he vigorously shook out his   
long, white-blonde hair. She stared at him for a second, and then   
looked away at the blinding whiteness.  
  
"I came here because I like snow." She said, after a long   
silence. "It's quiet... my mother liked snow. And for the longest   
time, all I ever saw was snow."  
  
"Where did you live, before?" Millardo prodded. Usagi   
sighed.  
  
"It was a little place on earth called Teikai." She blushed   
a little. "Well, the prison was named Teikai. That wasn't the   
city's name. And it was always snowing, always cold." She   
shuddered a little. "Always cold." She repeated in a whisper.  
  
"What was your childhood like?" He asked, remembering   
Relena's description of Usagi's explosion against Rei.   
  
"What childhood?" She laughed harshly. "I never had one. Out   
of two lives, I never had one." Her voice was bitter, but it   
wasn't nuetral. He didn't know what it was.   
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It's a long story." She murmured, more to the snow than to   
him.   
  
"I've got about sixty more years to go before I die. Let's   
hear it." He said, and realized she was right-- he was sounding   
eerily like the cheeky pilot. "I can't believe myself." He   
muttered.  
  
"Don't worry, neither can I. For a soldier, you're pretty   
cute." She grinned. "Well, come to think of it, all the gundam   
pilots are cute. I've got to meet this Treize dude. With all the   
ranting Wufei's done about him, I figure he's pretty cute too."  
  
Millardo pictured the elegant Treize Kushrenada, and for   
some reason, the word cute didn't come to mind.   
  
"I figure I'll have to meet him anyway, since he's the head   
of that Roma-thingie that still wants my head on a platter. If I'm   
gonna rule the world, I can't have a war going on."  
  
"Rule the world?!"  
  
"You heard me, Zechsie." She said tossing her last snowball   
his way, missing him completely. "I'm Neo-Queen Serenity. I'm   
going to rule the moon, and since my ex-betrothed gave earth to   
me, I get to rule this dirtball too."  
  
"I think you're delusional."  
  
"Maybe you're right. But I'm also beautiful. It's a great   
combination." She was looking at the endless snow again, and he   
wodnered what she was really seeing. "I've always been pretty. But   
you're pretty too. I wonder what kind of life you had, Zechs." She   
said softly, tapping her finger against her lip thoughtfully. "A   
pretty soldier. I bet you had lots of fun."  
  
Hurt flashed in his pale eyes, and was quickly sequeled by   
anger. "What would you know of it?" He asked quietly, staring   
intensely at her back.  
  
She shrugged. "What would I know of it? Everything." She was   
drawing in the snow. "What wouldn't I know of it, there's your   
question. What don't you know of it, there's another." She looked   
over her shoulder at him. "Pretty things don't have pretty times."  
  
"Were you a soldier?" He asked, watching her turn to face   
the emptiness again.  
  
"No. The first time around, I was an assassin. The second   
time around, I was a killer." She lashed out at the white powder.   
"The difference was emotion. I had it when I was a princess. They   
let me cry. The second time around, I was not allowed to cry."  
  
"Weren't allowed to cry?"  
  
"Ask Heero." She muttered. "He wasn't allowed to cry   
either."  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
ARG! Stupid, no good mouse! *looks up at audience and sweatdrops, holding   
a bowl in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other* Heh heh... I'm trying  
to catch a mouse... and it won't get caught...   
  
Next Chapter: Flashback To Nightmares. Usagi has a bad dream reliving a   
moment with the dreaded Morpheus. Small kiddies go away. Part of her past  
is revealed to a confused Mirialdo. A fight ensumes because Mirialdo is   
acting like Duo and is making Usagi mad. Bad Miri-chan. Trowa hashes it out   
with Duo because Quatre thinks Duo is adorable. Heero is being evilishly   
kawaii. Noin films the g-boys and a half naked Dorothy trying to kill  
each other in an all-out brawl to make Celebrity Deathmatch hang their heads  
in shame. Duo is exposed. (Yes, THAT kind of exposed ^_^) Mirialdo finally   
figures out that his little sister's lover is Dorothy, and you'll never  
guess what he does...  
  
I just gave everything away. Damn. Anywho....  
  
Just to keep y'all comin back, I'll give you a snippet from Chapter 12:  
  
  
~~~~~~~~  
"Koi, your brother is a pussy."  
  
"Hey, I walked in on him in the shower once. I beg to differ. Now, if I'd   
had that little camera then, I wouldn't be living in a flat the size of a   
penny... let me tell you...."  
~~~~~~~~  
  
I think it's funny. Anyway... 


	11. Vague Flashback to Nightmares

Reflections of a Soul, chapter 11  
Flashback to Nightmares  
black beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
~'~  
  
I know I promised you guys a bit of Usagi's past, but I had to   
take a big piece of this chapter out and put it in the next one.   
I apologize!!!! But in compensation I'm making the next chapter  
extra long.   
  
Anyway, enjoy the read. This ficcy's giving me gray hairs and  
I'm only fifteen (almost sixteen, hehe)! I've almost lost the   
entire thing twice. But now, Chabela finally got smart and made  
backup copies. So never fear, beloved readers. Thou shalt have  
thy story.  
  
And um.... I'm putting this up before I planned to... but....   
well... your reviews are so convincing.... *meek smile*  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi sat up, and her scream died immediatly. She felt like slapping   
herself for screaming. Screaming was stupid-- it was only a dream. Only a   
dream. Dreams couldn't hurt her.   
  
"Hey, are you alright?"   
  
She looked over at Millardo. How many hours now, in this stupid, stupid   
truck? They had long ago passed the Sanq Kingdom, but she hadn't voiced her   
knowledge of that. She only knew that she trusted Millardo, and for some odd   
reason, he trusted her.  
  
"Yeah." She groaned, rubbing her face in an attempt to calm herself   
down. "I'm fine. Whatever." She blinked out at the scenery-- warm stuff,   
forestland, mostly. Pine forests, so she had no idea just where they were. But   
she did know that all the forests near Sanq were oak and redwood. That much   
she had noticed.  
  
He didn't take his eyes from the road. It had been a long time since he   
had operated anything except Talgeese, and this was strange to him. The   
nightmare she'd just had hadn't helped his concentration any. From what she'd   
been saying, it hadn't been one of the better nightmares, either.  
  
"Want to talk about it?"  
  
"No." She said, a little too quickly and harshly. He shrugged, and she   
sighed. "You don't want to hear it." She added.  
  
"Try me." He wished he didn't have such a devotion to the mission. He   
swore to god that if it was about giant roaches, he would scream.  
  
As quickly and as breifly as she could, she described the dream to him,   
keeping her eyes locked onto the gray dashboard. He listened impassively, but   
inside his mind was reeling. He had heard of places like that, but never   
actually believed they existed.   
  
"How long where you there?" He asked, after she'd finished.   
  
"Eleven years." She whispered hoarsely. "Eleven years before I finally   
got up the courage to kill Genso." A cruel, icey smirk graced her lips for   
the breifest second. "I discovered that a common spice called nutmeg was very   
painful and lethal when introduced to the system intraveinously. I watched him   
scream." There was something inhumanly satisfactory about the way she said it.   
He realized that she was proud of that moment, and rightly so.  
  
"Why did you stay so long?"  
  
Usagi frowned. "I have no idea. He taught me a lot of things about the   
world, how to rpotect myself. He showed me what humanity was capable of, and   
exactly why I was to be alert at all times. He taught me to be a killer, a   
monster. I owe him for making me strong. I hate him for making me strong." She   
looked at Millardo's profile. His carefully, painfully, crafted mask was set   
into his features. "If he hadn't, I doubt I would have made it."  
  
"Made it through what?"  
  
She grinned, in spite of herself. "What he put me through." She arched   
an eyebrow. "I guaruntee you-- if he had not, I would be dead."  
  
\"I don't think I want to know."  
  
"Hey, where are you taking me?" She asked, in the silence that followed.   
He shook his head.  
  
"I can't tell you." He said, with a faint grin on his lips. "Orders."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You're going to take a vacation."  
  
"I was ON vacation, dammit." She grumbled. "And I need to protect   
Relena. And-- hey, waydda minute!" She turned to glare at him, using the Heero   
Yuy Glare of Eat Hot Death and Die(TM). "I'm older than you! You can't tell me   
what to do!"  
  
He sighed. "For some obscure reason, I was told to tell you that if you   
pulled 'rank' on me, that you will be chewed out by Luna. Message from Hino."   
Why the psychos? First the Catalonia girl, then that Hirde chick, and now   
this? Let's not start about Une...  
  
"Luna!" Usagi frowned. "That's not fair!"  
  
"Neither is life."  
  
"I could kill you." She said conversationally.   
  
"Yes, and I could tell Rei that you so kindly offered."  
  
"You piece of shit!"  
  
"Thank you." Kunzite smirked. Acting like Duo was fun. He shoudl do it   
more often.  
  
She turned away from him with an insulted "HMPH!", sulking. She muttered   
something under her breath-- Millardo had to really strain to catch it.  
  
"Elegant and refined my ass." She lowered her voice even more and   
started to mutter things that were probably less polite. He chuckled a little,   
but wondered what kind of effort she was making, what kind of mask she wore,   
and what she was like under it.   
  
He never would have guessed the real answer, and he didn't have time to,   
because, to his relief, he saw his destination in the distance. Finally!   
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
"I see 'em! I see 'em!" Duo shrieked, in perfect sync with Mangetsu. At   
the same time, Wufei, Heero, Duo, Rei, and Relena all rolled their eyes at the   
irony of it. The kid had attached herself to the braided Shinigami pilot, and   
Dorothy found it hillarious that they acted just alike. Quatre just thought it   
was adorable, which explained Trowa's slightly miffed look.  
  
"..." Was all anyone could get from the young Latino, other than Duo,   
who got a furious glare, more emotion that Trowa usually showed. Duo   
considered this a huge triumph in his book because he didn't know that the   
Heavyarms pilot was plotting his slow and painful death.  
  
He was the only thing Quatre could call, "OH! KAWAII!" with those blue,   
watery, sparkly blue eyes. Anything else must DIE. DIE! DIIIIIIIIIIIIIE! He   
mentally rubbed his hands together and cackled.   
  
Bludgeoning was always a classic...  
  
Rei looked slightly disturbed. She had stopped them all from hiding and   
jumping out. For all the years the senshi had known Usagi, Mamoru had always   
broken up the chances of a surprise party, protesting that his Usako wouldn't   
like it. Normally, she'd just thought he was insane, but ever since they'd   
stepped into this strange, war-ridden time, she wasn't so sure that Mamoru   
hadn't any reasoning for his arguments.   
  
What had Usagi told him that she hadn't told the others?   
  
"D'you think Zechs is dead?" Duo asked excitedly. In order to wake him   
up at the early hour of three A.M., they'd been forced to have Wufei quieten   
Heero's uncharacteristically loud protests and gave the American coffee. Lots   
of black, caffeinated coffee. Lots.   
  
They were now suffering the consequences.   
  
"I mean, 'cause he's about six hours late, ya know? Maybe she got where   
we were out of him, kill him, cooked and ate his dead body, and then came   
after us. She's got the hole freaky undead thing going on, ya know? Well, not   
really, ya know, butcha know? It's like... cool. Alien stuff. She really tore   
into those OZzies like a scythe through flesh. Wow. It was so freaking cool.   
She's cool."  
  
"Omae o korosu." Heero chanted, over and over, as Wufei patted his lover   
sympathetically. He had heard about Duo's expereinces from caffeine from   
Heero, who'd spent more time with Duo than any of the rest. If the past was   
truth, then this was only the tip of Duo's iceberg.  
  
"Duo funny!" Mangetsu laughed. "Mama Renty won't eat Zechs-papa." She   
giggled, unaware that she had just made a major-slip up that did not go   
unnoticed to Duo or Rei. Relena had caught it as well, but was really too busy   
in 'getting the damn piece of lint off the front of Dorothy's shirt'.   
  
Dorothy didn't mind at all when that involved dragging her into another   
room and locking the door.  
  
"I can't wait until Zechs figures them out." Noin grinned, appearing   
from the kitchen, where smell of melting chocolate followed her. "He still   
thinks that Relena's in love with Heero." She said to Rei, who was studying   
Mangetsu thoughtfully.  
  
Rei grinned at her. "I think she'd better wait until we get a   
cardiologist up here."  
  
Noin smiled evilly. "Naw. He took it pretty well when he walked in on   
Sally and I." She laughed, remembering. "Well, after we managed to wake him   
up, he took it pretty well."  
  
"Who wants to play UNO?" Quatre's head popped out from under the couch,   
a deck of UNO cards held proudly in his hands. "I found them! I also found   
Monopoly, Life, Clue, Scramble..." He began rambling off a ten-page list of   
card and board games, including a few Rei had never heard of before.  
  
"How are all of those games under that couch?" Wufei said doubtfully.  
  
"They aren't." Quatre stuck his tongue out at the Chinese boy. "They're   
in the hiding place. The door is under the couch." Well, that certainly   
explained the dirt and dust that the golden boy was covered in.  
  
"Of course." Wufei rolled his eyes. "A hidden door under the couch. Why   
ever did I not think of that?" He muttered something else under his breath,   
something most likely vulgar.  
  
"Wufei-oji-chan!" Mangetsu cried, shocked so thoroughly she began   
crying. Wufei immediatly had six sets of eyes glare furiously at him as Duo   
and Qautre fought over who got to comfort the kawaii little girl.  
  
"What!" Wufei cried, as Noin and Rei advanced on him. " It wasn't *that*   
bad! I only said that Quatre was a--"  
  
"AIIIII! SHIIIIINNNUUUU!!" Trowa yelled, tucking into a roll in mid air   
and crashing down on top of Wufei, trying to throttle him. Heero immediatly   
went to the rescue, hollering his trademark threat at the top of his lungs as   
he attempted to kick Trowa's ass. Quatre looked over from the middle of his   
arguement with Duo in time to see Heero bitchslap Trowa. Bristling like a very   
cute, enraged, psychotic, potentally lethal, but still much too cute kitten,   
he attacked Heero. Duo shrugged, and followed for the hell of it.   
  
At the sound of an all-out tumble, Dorothy stumbled out of the bedroom,   
her hair mussed, her shirt only half-on, lipstick that looked suspiciously   
like Relena's smeared all over her face, and her skirt unbuttoned. Her eyes   
lit up at the sight of the five gundam pilots attempting to kill each other,   
and without further provocation she leapt into the middle of it.  
  
Relena shouted something angrily, but it was lost in Duo's war-whoop as   
he managed to get a hold on Trowa' infamous bang. His whoops almost imemdiatly   
turned into a yelp as Quatre latched onto his braid and began beating his head   
into the floor. Dorothy had climbed on top of Heero's back and had a good grip   
on the perfect soldier's chin, and Wufei was trying to climb on top of her in   
attempt to get her off his lover.  
  
Rei looked up at Noin. "We should get this on tape."  
  
Noin nodded, speculating with a wicked smile. "I know some people who   
would be very interesting in five bishonen and one half-naked blonde   
wrestling." She ran to search for a camcorder while mangetsu mvoed closer to   
observe the fight, her tears forgotten. Relena shrugged and decided that the   
old saying had to be true: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.   
  
With a shrug, she sat down beside Mangetsu, who had now begun cheering   
all of the people involved in the fight on. (What? Did you really think she   
was going to fight, too?)  
  
Heero had just managed to get both his boyfriend and the homocidal   
blonde off of his back and had sat on top of Duo while fending off Trowa when   
Zechs and Usagi walked in to Relena'a sudden shout of, "KICK THEIR ASSES,   
KOIBITO!"  
  
Millardo froze right inside the door, but Usagi grinned.   
  
Now this was how to welcome a girl! After all, what self-respecting   
woman wouldn't love to open a door and find five extremely handsome men and   
one now-shirtless, screeching blonde trying to kill one another on the floor?  
  
Noin rushed in, a mini-camcorder in her hand. She turned it on the   
newcomers and waved merrily. "Hi, Usagi! Hey, Zechs." She immediatly turned to   
the fight just in time to catch Trowa's shirt being torn off by a very   
psychotic Dorothy. A now spitting with fury, but still adorable (biased? ME?)   
Quatre tackled the girl, who threw Trowa's shirt out of the tumble, landing   
atop Mangetsu's head. Duo attempted to come to Dorothy's recsue unil Wufei   
ever so elegantly grabbed his pants.  
  
Very, very predictably, the said pants dropped to Duo's ankles,   
revealing to everyone who was not blind or cutely choking Heero (no names...   
QUATRE...) that the pilot of Deathscythe did not wear underwear.  
  
"EEWWWWWWW!" Mangetsu hid her face in Relena's arm. Relena herself   
however, had no such comment.   
  
"Now I KNOW this is worth something!" Noin cackled happily. "They don't   
even had a piture of Duo's face, let alone his--"  
  
"Noin!"   
  
Duo grabbed his pants from a stunned, red-faced, Wufei. Wufei jumped up   
and ran for the boxes of Kleenex he carried with him at all times while Duo   
strutted out of the room.  
  
Trowa sent a death glare after him after watching Quatre drool all over   
the floor.   
  
One day, Duo, you will be fed to the lions. One day...  
  
As soon as Duo had disappeared completely, something registered in   
Millardo's abused mind.  
  
"KOIBITO?" He raged. His little sister wasn't even sixteen yet! "WHO?"   
The look in his eyes was eeirly that of Heero or Quatre in Zero System mode, a   
look that promised castration and doom. Not necessarily in that order. "I'm   
gonna burn his reason for wearing a loincloth!"  
  
For some odd reason, this caused Quatre to fall into a fit of laughter.   
Relena raised an eyebrow at her brother and then at Dorothy.  
  
"He doesn't know yet? Is this possible?" Relena mouthed to Noin.  
  
Noin followed Quatre's example, collapsing on the floor, cradling the   
still running camcorder. Rei quickly grabbed it.  
  
"Give me that!" She turned it on Millardo's furious face.   
  
"Uhm.... Mr. Millardo.." Dorothy stepped forward slightly. Her shirt was   
missing in action, as well as the better part of her skirt. One of her bra   
straps was gone as well, so all in all, Dorothy was more naked than not.  
  
Millardo turned to look at her, but immediatly looked away, being the   
'gentleman' he was. *cough*yeahright*cough*  
  
Rei panned right in on Dorothy as Noin stopped laughing for a breif   
second to tell Rei to get all of Dorothy in. All of her, dammit, before   
collapsing back into giggles.  
  
"What?" Millardo went back to taking around glares at Relena and the   
five-- er, four pilots.  
  
"Well, when Relena said koibito, she was referring to..."  
  
Rei turned the camera on the famed Talgeese pilot.  
  
"Who!?"  
  
"Well, me, of course." Dorothy delivered it deadpan, and even Heero   
smiled at the dumbfounded, shocked look on Millardo's face as Dorothy leaned   
over, pulled her lover to her feet, and swept into a kiss that would have made   
a saint faint.  
  
Or at least Millardo.   
  
~'~  
  
  
Oh, that was nice, wasn't it? I just love Miri-chan. Which, by  
the way, the spelling of his name's going to change. The above spelling  
has been driving me insane to type. But I used it in the beginning.  
So in more future chapters, if the name's spelt Miriardo... please  
don't kill me. He's still the same hunk of bishonen.  
  
Next Chapter: Kissing Kage: Miri-chan wakes up only to faint again.   
You'll see why. ^_^;;; Duo is more than a little hyper. The Phantasms  
finally figure out where Mangetsu is and discuss lots of things you  
probably shouldn't miss if you want to understand this ficcy. Miri-chan  
hashes it out with Relena. Relena threatens to marry Duo. A vistor from   
Usagi's as of yet mysterious pasts appears with news. Rei grows more   
suspicious by the moment and finally she confronts Usagi. Ayame brings  
new of the awaking senshi but it's too late. Rei attacks her leader...  
  
Ooooooooo! Wow. Cliffie! I hear a cliffhanger! Does anyone else?  
*evil cackle*  
  
  
Note: The bit in the first chapter... "Hey, you've got a backbone now!" (Remembers when backbone was obtained (Mamoru Thing) and whinces) Oh, sorry." Is quick enough to catch herself in the middle of it. Sorry for any confusion. 


	12. The Return (and departure) Of Kage

Reflections of a Soul, chapter 12 (i think)  
The Return (and departure) Of Kage  
Black Beyond  
~'~  
  
  
Alright. I promised and I have delivered. Longer than usual, fuller of action and  
tantalizingly revealing, we have chapter 12!   
  
Oooo, you guys are gonna hate me!  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"D'you think he had a heart attack?"  
  
"No. He has a pulse, baka."  
  
"Koi, your brother is a pussy."  
  
"Hey, I walked in on him in the shower once. I beg to differ. Now, if   
I'd had that little camera then, I wouldn't be living in a flat the size of a   
penny... let me tell you, Sally takes up a LOT of space with all her med   
crap."  
  
"I'm sure you and that baka onna enjoy it."  
  
"Hmm, Wufei, now that you mention it..."  
  
"Noin, please. He hit the floor pretty hard."  
  
"Oh, really? Well, if your hands weren't full of camcorder, you   
might have been able to catch him!"  
  
"What do you care, Usagi?"  
  
"Stop yelling." Trowa muttered quietly, as he cuddled Quatre   
while glaring at Duo. This arguments had been going strong for the   
last twenty minutes, with Noin and Rei trying to see if Millardo was   
severly injured or not inbetween luaghs or yells.  
  
Quatre noticed his love glaring at Duo, but was more focused on   
the arguements inbetween Rei and Usagi. He could feel they were both   
straining to keep it light-hearted, but something dark was inbetween   
them.  
  
The little girl on his lap noticed this as well, and watched   
Usagi with big, apprehensive eyes. Like she knew something was going   
to happen.  
  
"Mangetsu scared." She looked up at Quatre, tears welling up in   
her eyes. Quatre took one look at her and his own lip began to   
quiver. Trowa looked at both of them and just shook his head, vainly   
fighting a smile.  
  
"I think we should do evil things to him." Duo suggested.   
  
Rei, Usagi, and Heero all snapped around to stare at him,   
remembering a past discussion.  
  
"Like what?" Rei asked cautiously.   
  
"Put him in Relena and Dorothy's room so he can wake up to the   
sight of them fuc--"  
  
"We will do no such thing!" Relena growled. "I have a little   
dignity, you know."  
  
Dorothy looked over at her, wide eyed. "I missed some?   
Goddamn." She looked Relena up and down. "You know I hate looking for   
dignity."  
  
While every other person in the room either blushed ot rolled   
their eyes, (with the obvious exception of Mangetsu, who just looked   
confused) Millardo decided to wake up just in time to watch his baby   
sister pulled the blonde into a passionate, sloppy kiss right over   
his face.  
  
CLONK!  
  
"Oooo! I KNOW somethin broke THAT time! Seeeeeeee?!!!"  
  
"DUO! GET OFF OF HIM!"  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I've found Mangetsu, Tomodachi." Ayame said softly,   
approaching her comarade cautiously.   
  
"Where?" Tomodachi sniffled.  
  
"She's with the princess. Shorisha released her into their   
care, and Mangetsu should probably stay. The princess had a visitor   
from Taipei, and under orders he forced Rei to question the   
princess." Kawaru looked disgusted. "Jirasu is negociating with her   
right now."  
  
"And our Sight?" Tomodachi didn't looked at either of them.  
  
Ayame sighed deeply, her expression glum. "We're relying on the   
Hall of Mirrors right now. Our Sight is all but malfunctioning-- we   
can see very little."  
  
"I know that. Why?" Tomodachi sat up, her face closed,   
tearstains marring her young cheeks.   
  
Kawaru began to pace back and forth. "Because we got too   
involved, and now we're a part of this. And it's the rule. We can't   
see our own futures... and this has become our future."  
  
"Shit."  
  
"Yeah, no kidding." Ayame muttered. "And Shorisha won't tell   
Jirasu what she has planned, on any account. The shit's about to hit   
the fan and we're practically mortal."  
  
"Harsh, Yame-chan, harsh." Kawaru chuckled.   
  
"But true." Ayame frowned. "So true."  
  
Kawaru picked up one of the six mirrors they'd lifted from the   
Hall, the one showing Usagi's present. The silver-haired queen was   
laughing over Millardo and arguing with Duo and Rei.  
  
"She has no idea, does she?" Tomodachi murmured thoughtfully,   
reassured by the picture of Mangetsu sitting on Quatre's lap in the   
background.   
  
"Not a fucking clue." Ayame agreed, frowning.  
  
"So what do we do?" Kawaru asked, looking at the mirror. "We   
don't know when Rei will explode, or when she'll wake up the senshi.   
We know squat."  
  
"No, that's not true." Tomodachi. "We know a little."  
  
"Nothing worth much." Ayame muttered, as a very depressed   
Jirasu appeared. Her jacket was missing and her hair mussed, but   
otherwise she was fine.  
  
"No dice." She said miserably. "Nothing. The only thing she   
consended to say was that we'd just love what she was about to do."  
  
"Why do I get the feeling that we won't?" Ayame muttered.  
  
"Because she's Shorisha." Kawaru raised one of her eyebrows   
mockingly. "Because she never turns down a chance to destroy and   
terrorize."  
  
Tomodachi sniffled again, and then frowned determinedly. She   
stood up and cracked her knuckles.  
  
"Well," She said, a glint in her eyes. "If we're already   
involved, I'm sure no one will mind if we just dive in deeper, what   
say you?"  
  
Jirasu stared at her. "Tomodachi, you know we're not   
allowed..." She trailed off, realzing something at the same time it   
clicked in Ayame's and Kawaru's minds.  
  
"Of course..." Ayame grinned.   
  
Kawaru hugged Tomodachi. "You and Ayame go to Mangetsu and see   
what she's found out. I'll be at the Sanq Kingdom... and Jirasu?"  
  
Jirasu grinned, and pushed her curls out of her face. "I think   
I've got one elusive, former earth prince to track down, don't I?"   
She grinned mischeiviously. "There's nothing like jealousy to get a   
relationship flowing, eh?"  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
Mangetsu was happily playing pat-a-cake with Quatre while   
Relena and Mirialdo argued loudly, with commentary from everyone   
present, especially Dorothy, who found herself the subject of the   
argument.  
  
You need heirs! HEIRS! You need to find a nice, STABLE, young   
man!" Mirialdo's face was a queer shade of violet.   
  
"I'll adopt." Relena retorted calmly.  
  
"You can't do that!"   
  
"Then I'll marry Duo."   
  
"NO WAY!" Duo screeched, and hid behind Rei. "No offense, but   
you're just not my type, Relena. It's not happening."  
  
Mirialdo glared at his sister. "I said stable. I did not say   
mentally challenged."  
  
"I resent that." Duo muttered.   
  
"What's to resent?" Rei muttered. "It was true."  
  
"I think they're perfect for each other." Usagi spoke up   
thoughtfully. "Would you rather Relena sleep with Une?" She smiled   
broadly as Mirialdo all but lost his lunch on the floor.   
  
Trowa's eyebrows raised as Heero let out a short bark of   
laughter. Mirialdo opened his mouth to say something that would have   
left them all writhing in shame when a knock came at the door.  
  
Heero was up, his gun in his hands, alert and ready. Wufei   
slunk behind a corner as Heero backed up to stand, almost   
protectively, in front of Mangetsu and Quatre. Quatre took the small   
child into his arms as Trowa stood behind the door, gun ready.  
  
Duo reached for his own weapon but Rei slowly shook her head.  
  
"No one knows we're here." She said, very softly. "I feel no   
evil, but if they're unfriendly, guns will do nothing."  
  
Usagi heard her whisper and her eyes narrowed. She pushed   
Mirialdo out of her way and headed for the door, her expression   
determined.  
  
She swung it open, and froze. But Rei did not.  
  
"It's YOU!" She exclaimed.  
  
The young man that had been captured breaking into Relena's   
castle locked eyes with Usagi. He was holding his side, which was red   
with blood.   
  
"What happened?" Usagi asked immediatly, not wasting time with   
the whys and hows. She knew something was wrong.  
  
He smiled at her grimly. "It's not looking good, Ren." He said,   
looking at her with a mixed look of compassion and pain. "We tried.   
We really tried. The phantasms have become too involved-- they've   
lost their sight. Shorisha is gaining power by the second, and she's   
completely destroyed Teikai."  
  
Usagi's face fell, and she slumped, her hope seemingly gone.   
She reached forward and hugged the man, helping him inside and   
closing the door. The rest of the people in the room were lost,   
ignored by both of them. They were in their own world.  
  
"What of Prometheus?" Usagi asked, after the man had sat down.   
She helped him out of the bloody shirt, revealing a perfectly toned   
body, and knelt to closer inspect the bloody gash that travelled down   
his ribcage.  
  
"Missing. He's headed for you, Ren."  
  
Uasgi closed her eyes, as though she had been struck. "Thank   
you." She murmured.  
  
He grinned at her, and then whinced as she poked at his wound.   
"No problem. I do owe you, you know. You killed Morpheus for us."  
  
Usagi smirked a little. "He had it coming to him."  
  
Rei watched, spellbound, obsorbing the conversation. Who-- but-  
- what was going on?! He saw Duo's mouth open and quickly shoved her   
hand over it, keeping him from breaking the dome of solitude that had   
formed between them and Usagi.  
  
"Ren, you can't stay here. You have to leave. Return to your   
home, where you're safe." He seemed to be pleading with her. "You   
don't deserve what he'll do to you when he finds you. Everything you   
worked to hide... he'll ruin it for you."  
  
Usagi's jaw was set as she shook her head. She pulled off her   
duster. She concentrated a little and the dark cloth began to glow.   
Usagi began to rip the previously inpenatrable cloth into strips. "I   
can't run anymore, Kage. I stood him for twelve years."  
  
Kage frowned. "Yes, I know. And then you escaped, and you went   
home, to be a princess. You should have stayed. The day after you   
left, Shorisha came."  
  
"And took you all to her kingdom, yes, I know." Usagi frowned.   
"I heard all about it from Artermis. Of course, he had no idea how   
closely related that was to me."  
  
He looked at her strangely. "I understand you not giving   
details to the queen, but never telling anyone of your training..   
why? None of us could understand."  
  
Usagi shook her head. "Because they wouldn't have understood.   
You of all people should know. People tend to like you easier if they   
think you're just a pretty face."  
  
Kage laughed at her as she tied the strips of of cloth around   
him, covering the wound. "I'd forgotten how serious you are."  
  
She stood up, smiling. He stood up as well, and several of them   
gasped, especially Noin, who had her camera out and rolling, as Usagi   
pulled him into a kiss that wasn't exactly the kind of kiss you gave   
to 'just a friend'.  
  
Rei's mouth hung open. This was the man Usagi had threatened to   
kill, the man that had been maddening elusive and vague, the man that   
had hugged Usagi and left the blonde senshi in shock and anger.  
  
This was the man that was currently kissing her best friend   
like tomorrow would never come.   
  
`"Wow." Dorothy whispered. "Is it getting hot in here, or is it   
just me?"  
  
It was Kage who broke the kiss. He looked at Usagi, a strange   
look on his face, before nodding with comprehension. he waited a   
minute before speaking.  
  
"You should probably be told that Shorisha went to your twenty-  
first century and found the man you call Genso. She, Promethius, and   
he will be joining forces against you."  
  
Usagi sighed, and laid her forehead on his bare chest, her eyes   
closed.  
  
"Why can't they just leave me be?" She whispered quietly. "Why   
is it that every time I start to forget, they make me remember?"  
  
He put his arms around her. "You're asking the wrong person,   
Ren."  
  
"Hey, just what is going on here?" Mirialdo was furious and he   
wasn't really sure why. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
Usagi frowned, and stepped away from Kage. SHer look was   
apologetic but her tone neutral.   
  
"You should go."  
  
He nodded, frowning. "You're right." Before anyone could do   
anything, he opened the door and disappeared.  
  
Rei stepped forward, troubled. "Usagi, I think you owe me an   
explanation." She said softly, staring at her friend's clenched   
fists. "You have to tell me what's going on. Please."  
  
"She's right, Mother."  
  
Everyone in the room turned at the same time.  
  
"YOU!" Rei and Duo shouted at the same time, Duo shouting at   
Tomodachi and Rei at Ayame. Ayame smirked, but Tomodachi rushed over   
and plucked Mangetsu out of Quatre's lap, hugging the small girl   
tightly.  
  
"Mangetsu." She said happily.  
  
"Tomodachi!" Mangetsu giggled.  
  
Ayame ignored the little reunion. She walked past Trowa, Heero,   
Rei and Mirialdo to stop just in front of Usagi's back. She was aware   
that the blonde princess towered above her, and even more so that the   
waves of anger and frustration radiating from Usagi could be easily   
used to fuel the violence welling up in the queen, but wasn't   
daunted.  
  
"You need to stop hiding. Jirasu is waking your senshi and   
tracking down Mamoru. Kawaru is detouring at Teikai before heading   
for the Sanq Kingdom. Tomodachi's here for Mangetsu, and I am here   
for you."  
  
Usagi didn't turn. "I will not dig up the past."  
  
Ayame arched one of her eybrows. "It was never buried to begin   
with." Her childish voice was strange, so strange, and in an even   
queerer way, ironic. Ironic that is was she, she in the body of a   
child, should be saying these things to Usagi, the soldier and queen,   
the assassin and princess. "Are you a coward, Mother? Will you hide   
now, now that you are needed most of all? Have we misjudged you, all   
this time, accepting you as our Mother and Rulemaker?"   
  
Usagi seemed to cave inwards, dry sobs shaking her thin frame.   
But no tears. She would NOT cry. They would not have that triumph.   
  
"I can't."  
  
Ayame snorted. "I don't believe that. You can. Turn about, and   
face your fellow senshi."  
  
"No."  
  
"What are you afraid of? Rejection?" Ayame was incredious. "She   
is your friend! She has died for you! Do you think that your past   
will change that?"  
  
Usagi turned violently, glaring down at Ayame with all the   
feirocity of an enraged kodiak. Even Heero retreated from her, not   
wanting to be near *that* when it exploded.   
  
She spoke in a low, dangerous hiss. "Yes!"  
  
Rei couldn't even gasp. She was shocked. Just simply shocked.   
Several fleeting thoughts raced through her mind, each lingering just   
long enough to bring her closer to the tears that threatened to   
spill. Finally, she took her last resort.  
  
Reaching out with her mind, she went for Usagi.   
  
Stunned, Usagi's head jerked up, away from Ayame, to stare at   
the martian, dumbfounded as she felt Rei searching for an entrance to   
her mind. She fought back.  
  
"Don't do this, Rei." She said, straining against the raw   
attack.  
  
"Why won't you trust me? Why won't you tell me the truth?" Rei   
demanded, unrelenting. Ah! There, a weak place.   
  
Usagi could feel her resolve breaking. She had never done well   
at the type of telepathy and mind play that Rei had practiced for the   
greater par tof both her lives. She would not win this battle.  
  
"Stop." She pleaded, as Rei broke the last of her defenses.   
"You can't handle it!"  
  
Rei bit her lip. She was in-- she was in.  
  
Usagi fell to her knees.  
  
Rei's eyes widened to an impossible width, her breath catching   
in her throat and her blood freezing in her viens as she found   
Usagi's memories and was swept away in the black tidal wave that   
crashed down upon her.  
  
"Catch her!" She heard someone shout, as she left her own body   
to ride that impossible ocean.  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
*whinces as audience errupts into violent behavior*   
  
Eeeee... I think I'll go now!  
  
*runs, very quickly*  
  
Next Chapter (Reverie): Rei finds herself trapped in Usagi's mind with the   
neo moon queen herself, a strange, puzzle-piece place made of three very   
different people: the princess, the killer, and the girl. She tries to piece   
together the glimpses of memories the strange girl shows her while attempting  
to solve one the greatest puzzles ever known to her: Tsukino Usagi. As she does,  
she forms a very puzzling question.... 


	13. Reverie

Reflection of a Soul, chapter 13  
Reverie  
black beyond  
~'~  
  
This is a strange chapter, mostly flashbacks. Warnings: references to rape, child abuse,  
murder, kidnapping, cursing, excessive gore in places, assassination, apathy, etc. But,  
like I said, mostly flashbacks. I suppose you don't have to read this chapter, but I  
advise it. If its boring, I apologize.  
  
That's about it.  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
Rei struggled to her feet, disorientated. Looking around, she saw a a   
world divided into patches of three different worlds. One was black and   
barren, something from a nightmare; another was full of pastels pinks and   
blues, with mythical creatures and waterfalls; and the last of sunny light and   
green grasses, a park in bloom.  
  
Three worlds as one.  
  
"Welcome to my world."   
  
She spun around to see Usagi sitting in a patch of nightmare, cross-  
legged on a charred stump. But this was not the Usagi she knew.  
  
This Usagi's hair was shorter, wavy, and streaked with fresh blood. Her   
eyes were wild and vividly, unnaturally, blue, in a face that was young and   
ravaged. Her body was more matured than her face, clad in a violet dress that   
was ripped and torn in more than one place. Scratches and bruises marred the   
moonpale skin freely.  
  
"Where are we?" Rei found her voice with difficulty.  
  
Usagi laughed harshly. "Where you wanted to be. This is my mind, my   
memories. Happy looking around." She pointed to the patch of green Rei was   
standing in. "I wouldn't move out of that, if I were you. It's not so pleasant   
over here."  
  
Rei turned her gaze back to the surrealistic mix of landscape. "Usagi,   
why is it like this?" She asked, frowning. "What happened to you?"  
Usagi looked delighted with the question. "Finally. Well, Rei, this is   
what happens when you've lived two lives like mine. You see, all of you   
assumed I had a happy first life, growing up in a palace and being a princess.   
But you never took into account that the first time any of you heard of me,   
let alone saw me, was when I was fifteen. I never grew up in the palace.   
  
"And then you assumed the same thing in my second life, that I'd grown   
up in a happy, loving home. Nope."  
  
Rei remembered something. "But Fiore! Mamoru said that when you were   
two, and he seven, you gave him a rose in a hospital. You were getting a new   
brother. If you didn't grow up with the Tsukinos..."  
  
Usagi sighed, and looked down at the ground. "I was just barely two   
there. I was their foster kid... they were going to adopt me after Shingo was   
born, but it never happened. I was taken a few days after that."  
  
"Taken where?"  
  
"Technically, I suppose you could say it was kidnapping. I was   
*recruited* for a 'blood test'. They liked something in my blood and I never   
saw Ikuko and Kenji again for twelve years."  
  
"Is that where you met Kage?"  
  
Usagi smiled a little. "No. I met Kage when I was Serenity. Teikai is a   
place in the dark kingdom now, and I suppose that's why he's still alive. I   
was raised there." She added darkly.  
  
"Oh." Rei moved closer to Usagi. She took her courage in hand and looked   
at the meloncholy woman.   
  
"I want to see your life, Usagi."  
  
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Usagi looked up, grinning wickedly. "Step   
closer, Rei. Step into my parlor, said the spider..."  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Crying blindly for a mother she never had, a frightened little girl   
huddled in the corner, trying to get away from the bad man who hurt her and   
made her hurt the other children until they wouldn't move.   
  
Rei stood in the other empty corner, all but strangling herself to keep   
the gasp down in her throat.  
  
Making a disgusted noise, the man picked her up roughly and struck her   
across the face. She stopped crying immediatly, but her small frame still   
shook.  
  
"LOOK AT ME!" He roared at her. Sobbing silently, she looked up into his   
coal-black eyes, eyes she hated and feared. With his big hand, he struck her   
again, and then again. Blood began to trickle from her lip, but he hit her one   
more time.  
  
"Never, EVER CRY!" He screamed at her. "NEVER! YOU WILL NOT BE WEAK!"  
  
She bit her broken lip and stopped her sobbing as she nodded, afraid.   
  
"Yes, sir." She whispered.  
  
Rei wanted to look away, but some morbid facination held her eyes upon   
the scene. What kind of place was this?  
He released her, glaring at her. "Miserable little creature." He spat at   
her. Flinching, she wiped her cheek off with her sleeve.  
  
"You're weak!" He shouted at her. "You're weak and miserable! If you   
weren't the only one who's gotten this far, I'd've killed you myself!" He   
stopped down in her face. "YOU'RE NOTHING! You'll always BE nothing! You are a   
shell! You must never cry! NEVER CRY! DO YOU HEAR ME?"  
  
Biting back a sob, she nodded. "Yes, sir."  
  
"Beast." He stood back up and threw her the knife. Hesitating, she   
caught it and nicked herself. The sight of her blood made him even more   
furious. With a hiss, he slapped her and took the knife out of her hand.   
Before she could run from him again, he was on his knee and cold metal   
caressed her young neck.  
  
"You must always react. Do not hesitiate." He whispered, a cold, cruel   
hiss in her ear. "Ignore the emotion they have so wrongly taught you. You are   
an ANIMAL!" He shouted. "An animal." His voice dropped again. He moved the   
metal down her neck and followed the collarbone. A thin, line of red followed.   
Terrified, she froze, closing her eyes.   
  
"AHHHH!" She screamed as the blade dropped right below the bone and went   
into her warm flesh. Scarlet stained the pathetic grey shift she wore, already   
stained from past experiences.   
  
His face contorted with pure disgust. He pulled the blade out slowly.  
  
"Get away from me, you filthy creature." He hissed at her, kicking stone   
floor. She grabbed her shoulder and fled back to her corner, trembling.  
  
He pocketed the bloody knife and another man entered the cold stone room.   
The little girl relaxed a little. This man had never hurt her.  
  
"You're going to scar her beyond repair if you keep that up!" The new man   
yelled.  
  
"No." A tone of curiousity, of morbid intrigue was in the bad man's   
voice. "She's learning. See? She doesn't cry now. She's afraid, however she   
does not cry."  
  
"She's probably past that." The nice man sounded furious.  
  
"Give me more three days. If she's broke by then, you may have her." The   
bad man turned that gaze back on the girl, and she stared back, remembering   
what happened if she hid her face. "Only four years old, and look. She   
remembers."  
  
"You're inhuman."  
  
The bad man shrugged. His expression went back to the angry one. "Get   
up, creature." He ordered her. Still shaking, she scrambled to her feet.  
  
The nice man shuddered as the bad man walked closer. "Are you afraid of   
me, creature?"  
  
"I am Ren!" She told him defiantly, and then humbled as his face   
contorted again with fury. "Yes, sir." She said, afraid to look away.  
  
The bad man grinned and looked over his shoulder at the nice man.  
  
"See? She's learning. She defies me and learns."  
  
"One day she'll kill you." The nice man said, staring at Ren, facinated   
despite himself.  
  
The bad man looked back at Ren, who still clutched her injury.   
  
"I have no doubt about that... creature! This time you will learn   
faster!" He raised his hand to strike her--  
  
"Stop!" Rei cried, and suddenly, everything changed.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Taller, older, and stronger, the girl Ren now wore a simple, short dres   
that allowed her movement and was clean. She had a plain dagger in her hands.  
  
Rei frowned, ever so slightly. This was not the trembling child.   
Something was off about this girl, something evil.   
  
"Well? Did you accomplish your mission or did you fail again, like the   
worthless creature we both know you are?" The bad man snapped. But the bad man   
had a name now. The bad man's name was Morpheus, and he stood in front of an   
impassive Ren, who played with her dagger a few seconds before answering.  
  
"Oh, your captain is dead." A smirk played in her voice. "And I think we  
both know, Morpheus, I'm not worthless. If I were, I would be dead."  
  
Morpheus's scowl broke into a slow smile. "Aren't you clever, creature."   
He stopped pacing and stood still, looking at her. "My, aren't you clever."  
  
Rei tilted her head to one side, studying the new scene. It was the same   
people, but something was different. There was no fear, no anxiety coming from   
Ren, and there was something about the bad man, Morpheus. He was wary of the   
young woman, waiting.   
  
He was afraid of her.  
  
"You tell me." Ren replied hautily, almost taunting him. Something in   
her eyes... it wasn't there.   
  
Angrily, he shoved her up against the rough, cement wall, and kissed her   
savagely. She rolled her eyes under his brutal assault, disgustedly.   
  
She still had her dagger in hand, and the dim light of the room was   
caught on its blade as she brought it up, ever so slowly, waiting patiently.  
  
Rei gasped as the sharp point suddenly sped down, and all seven inches   
of the deadly weapon was buried in Morpheus's shocked back.  
  
"Am I clever, Morpheus?" She teased as she twisted the blade in his   
body. He opened his mouth, but the apin was too great to be dignified with a   
scream. "You never answered the question, *Sweetie*." Angrily, she jerked down   
on the blade, ripping through his spinal cord and ribs like pudding. "Tell me   
I'm clever." She tore though his back like nothing.  
  
"You bitch." He gasped, as blood pooled at their feet. Smirking, she   
yanked the blade from his body and pushed him away from her. He fell, twisting   
around to land on his side, the jar creating even more injuries.  
  
She leaned over to look him in the same. Her pout dripped with honey-  
sweet falsity. "You're the one that made me, *baby*." She cooed, as he   
struggled for a last breath through lacerated lungs, and died.  
  
"Usagi..." Rei whispered, tears streaming down her face as the   
emotionless young woman carelessly cleaned the blood off of the knife with the   
tattered him of her dress and walked out of the room, humming a tune.  
  
"Bad karma, Morphie." She called over her shoulder. "Bad, bad karma.   
It always gets you in the end..."  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Rei's head spun dizzily as the scene changed once more, but only this   
time, it left her in a place she knew, somehow, even though she had never   
really seen it, nor could she remember it.  
  
She was standing in a room made completely of white marble, the throne   
room of Queen Serenity.   
  
It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the dazzling brightness   
of the room, and when they did, she stepped closer, intrigued by what she saw.  
  
Ren was standing before the queen, wearing a simple red chiton of the   
roman style. Her long, silvery blonde hair had been pulled into a perfect   
plait that just barely touched the floor, and her cold, gray eyes were locked   
onto the queen's as she stood proudly, her arms crossed across her chest   
saucily.  
  
"Well." Queen Serenity said serenly, after a few moments of the queer   
staring contest.   
  
Ren scowled. "You're the one that dragged *me* here, your majesty. You   
tell me. I'm just taking a stroll though the market place and all of a sudden   
I'm being arrested by moon cops and they're dragging me off the planet and up   
here. Please. You tell *me*."  
  
The silver queen looked taken aback by the burst of mocking sarcasm. Rei   
was just about positive no one had ever had the balls to speak to the queen of   
the moon like that.  
  
But Rei had her own turn at being surprised as a small smile stole onto   
Queen Serenity's lips.   
  
"Hmm... moon cops. I'm afraid I've never quite heard them refered to as   
that." She tapped a delicately gloved finger on her tip, thinking.   
  
One of Ren's eyebrows raised, spectulating. Finally, quickly, she   
decided on a retort. "It's one of the more polite terms." She paused for a   
second, and then: "Why am I here?"  
  
Queen Serenity's smile faded into a rather severe frown.  
  
"Do you know of a place called Teikai, Miss...?"  
  
Ren rolled her eyes. "My god. You people don't even know who I am and   
you arrested me." She sighed. "Yeah, I know Teikai. And it's Ren."  
  
The queen nodded, and sat back. "Ren." She said, something making her   
voice thick for a breif instant. "Miss Ren, are you aware that the Dark Side   
destroyed your-- home-- and captured all of its residents... except *you*?"  
  
A bark of harsh laughter escaped Ren's throat, and she rolled her head   
before looking up at Queen Serenity. "Quite frankly," she said, grinning a   
little, a fully satisfied, almost evil, look on her pretty face. "I'm not   
surprised."  
  
"Oh, really?" Queen Serenity asked. "Why not?"  
  
Rei grinned. She knew why.  
  
"Because I didn't exactly leave with permission, and when I left... I   
suppose you could say it wasn't on friendly terms."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, I killed the guy that ran the place and took out his sister on my   
way out, stopping only to disembowel the psycho-doctor."  
  
Rei watched as the queen's eyes went impossibly wide, and she looked   
truly shocked.   
  
"They said," she murmured finally. "that you were the little assassin   
that was killing off the earth council, but I didn't want to believe it. I   
didn't think..."  
  
Ren stared at her, confused. "Why not?" She asked. "I'm not the only   
assassin in the universe. And certainly not the first one Teikai's turned   
out."  
  
Rei knew it was coming. She just didn't know that is was coming right   
then.  
  
"Because you're my daughter, Ren." the queen said, very, very softly.   
"You're the princess of the moon."  
  
Ren backed up a step. "If you weren't the queen of the solar system, I   
would call you a liar. I can't be the princess. No."  
  
Rei had never seen Queen Serenity look so sad.  
  
"But you are, Princess Serenity. Ren. You are."  
  
  
~-~  
  
Slow chapter, I know. But I'll make up for it, I promise....  
  
Next Chapter (Stranger in a Strange Land): Rei tries to reason with Usagi and comes to a conclusion  
that Usagi laughs at... but how will they get out of her mind? The silver senshi breaks down in a   
scape that Rei doesn't like either... will they be lost forever? 


	14. Stranger in the Strangest Land

Reflections of A Soul, chapter 14  
Awakening  
black beyond  
  
~'~  
  
  
Ack! I know! It's been forever! But this extra long and moves things along a bit faster. And I've already got the next chapter and most of the next after that written, and all I may say is that if you forsake me now, you're going to miss something that I'm probably going to Hell for.   
  
Oh, wait, I was headed there anyway... ah, ne...  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
"No more." Rei gasped, as the dizzying lights began to swirl again. "No   
more." Rei stared at Usagi, searching for the words to convey her horror and   
shame, and could find none. Finally:  
  
"What... was that?" She gasped darkly.   
  
Usagi looked at her dispassionatly.  
  
"What's wrong, Martian Princess? A taste of my childhood too much for   
you?" Smiling cruelly, she stood up, and for some reason, Rei felt that the   
shorter woman towered above her. "That's just a few from my first life. I don't   
suppose you'd like to see my second?"  
  
Rei shook her head dumbly.   
  
Usagi sighed, and turned around and stepped onto a field of green grass   
and wildflowers, and as she did, Rei gasped as the cold woman was transformed   
into a girl of about three, her golden hair up in an adorable odango style and   
wearing a cute pink dress. As she spoke, the tones of a mature lady and a solemn   
little girl echoed one another.  
  
"I have never been kind. I didn't want you to know what I was, but nothing   
ever seems to go the way I want it to. Now you have seen part of who I am. What   
are you thinking, friend?"  
  
It was a long time before Rei replied. Her voice was fascinated,   
realizing, confused.   
  
"Is it revenge, Usagi? Is that what it is? Do you want revenge against   
Morpheus, against those that hurt you? Is that it?"  
  
The small child shook her head. "No, Rei. I can't b driven by revenge. It   
was my fault I was taken, my blood. I can't blame them." She sighed, ever so   
softly.  
  
Rei stared at her, stunned, a horrible thought forming in her mind.   
"Usagi, you don't-- you can't---"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Usagi... do you blame yourself?"  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"God, she needs to cut back on all those cakes." Duo panted, his muscles   
straining.  
  
Relena grinned, happy with her spectator position. Duo precariously held   
Usagi, while Heero had Rei. It was awkward moving the two, because Rei's hand   
was firmly planted against the crescent moon on Usagi's forehead. Not even the   
crowbar that Dorothy just happened to have worked.  
  
No one asked why the crowbar was sticky. No one wanted to know.   
  
Heero shrugged. "It could be worse. We could be carrying Dr. J and G   
instead of two beautiful whatever-they-ares."  
  
Duo ignored him, growling. "You know, your boyfriend could give us some   
help." He commented, as they backed into a corner. "Trying to get these two into   
  
the den isn't easy-- and why the den? They looked happy in the living room   
floor!"  
  
Heero eyeballed him. "The little girls with strange hair told us the den.   
It is our *mission* to get them into the den." His voice held a slightly   
psychotic edge that Duo didn't care to argue with right then.  
  
"Stupid little freaks." He muttered. "Using him against me like that. And   
where's Wu?"  
  
"Wu*fei* is helping Noin edit the movie." Heero muttered, his mission-ly   
demeanor vanishing, and a sour look stole onto his face. "He said he had some of   
his own clips to add."  
  
Duo almost dropped Usagi. He looked at Heero curiously while trying to   
watch his feet at the same time. "Didn't figure you two as the type, Hee-kun."  
  
Heero scowled. "Hn."  
  
Duo yelped as Rei suddenly started flailing in Heero's arms, and a foot   
caught him in his gut. "Make her stop!" He shouted, as the said foot narrowly   
missed the most precious part of his body.   
  
Heero sent his most fierce death glare of slow, painful things at Duo as   
he avoided the too-strong limbs himself. How the hell was he supposed to do   
that? He was a soldier, not a fucking magician!  
  
Duo was thrown back as Usagi stiffened, and then swung her arm hard,   
capturing Rei's wrist. Both girls were still unconscius, and there was something   
eeiry in the way it was playing out.   
  
Rei, whose lips were twisted in terror, was against the wall, on hand on   
Usagi's forehead and the other in Usagi's pale grasp. Usagi now knelt beside the   
raven-haired woman, her brow furrowed.   
  
"God, that is creepy." Duo voiced that Heero had been thinking. "What the   
hell are they doing, exactly, that made Tomo-whatever-her-name-is grab Quatre's   
new doll and run? And who is Jirasu?"  
  
Heero bent down and poked at Usagi's tense face. "Dunno."  
  
Ayame appeared int the doorway, looking perturbed. "Good. They're in the   
den. Thank you."  
  
Duo glared at her. "Why the den? Why not a room that was on the same level   
as the living room? Do you want to know how evil it is to be backing down the   
stairs with two frozen chicks?"  
  
Ayame rolled her eyes. "The den's the biggest room in the house, and we're   
expecting visitors. Eleven of them, if you want exactness."   
  
Heero's eyes widened slightly, thinking of the security risks and hazards   
and calculating the short distance they were away from their gundams and the   
fact that a tape featuring him in various compromising poisitions was about to   
be sold to Treize--  
  
Ayame saw his look, and smiled. "It's okay. These are people you can   
trust. They've carried bigger secrets than yours, Heero Yuy. But I wouldn't   
point weapons at them... after two thousands years of sleeping, they're not   
going to be cheery people." She paused, and giggled. "You'll really have to   
watch out for the tall, blonde one."  
  
Duo collapsed backwards into a chair. "One day," he said wistfully. "I   
shall find normal people and marvel at the normal-ness of their lives. I have   
never met normal people." He eyeballed Heero, who was practicing his death glare   
of painful things to come (trademarked) in the mirror on himself.  
  
  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The child Usagi froze. She stared at Rei, her eyes cold and hard,   
uncomprehending something that she saw deep into Rei's violet pools. She made no   
reply, instead she began walking away from Rei, out of the pretty field and   
danced onto the fantasy-scape, and changed as she did so, becoming a tall,   
graceful warrior with long silver curls and wearing a gown of black silk.  
  
She spun around, facing Rei from the distance.  
  
"A lifetime ago, Rei, I was walking home from school." She said quietly,   
her voice carrying to Rei's ears clearly on some unfelt wind. "I was fifteen,   
and late for another senshi meeting, so I was running, as usual.   
  
"And, as usual, I went crashing into some poor, innocent pedestrian   
carrying an armful of papers."  
  
Rei giggled in spite of herself. The one thing that had always been   
constant back in those days was Usagi's ditziness. It had given them all a   
laugh in the darkest hours.  
  
Usagi-Serenity smiled bitterly. "I helped her gather them up, and a few   
caught my eye." Her lips tightened into a half scowl. "She was a writer, Rei. A   
magnificent author. Guess what she wrote?"  
  
Rei raised her eyebrows, wondering what it could have been to make Usagi   
like this.   
  
"It was a suicide note. She was maybe seventeen, and she was going to burn   
all of her stories and poems and then jump off of a building." Usagi shook her   
head. "Remember that day, just before we went to fight Beryl, that I skipped a   
meeting?"  
  
Rei thought back. "Yes. I was furious with you! None of us had ever missed   
a meeting before, and it was an important one, too..." She trailed off, and   
looked stunned. "You were with that girl, weren't you? You helped her."  
  
Usagi Serenity closed her eyes, recoiling as if Rei had just slapped her.  
  
"No. No, I didn't help her, Rei. I ignored her. I helped her put her   
papers back in her arms, and I walked away." Her eyes were full of self   
loathing. "Two hours later she did a double tuck with a twist into asphalt. I   
spent that entire evening on a park bench, thinking about it. I could have   
talked to her, I could have said good morning. I could have done something."  
  
Rei bit her lip. "What does this have to do with anything?"  
  
Usagi looked as though she would scream out of frustration. "Don't you get   
it?" She was almost yelling. "My whole fucking life has been like that! I care   
when I'm not supposed to and I'm cold when I need to be caring. I'm just fucked   
up! I've hurt so many people. I let you guys die too many times. I've lost too   
many fights!"  
  
"Usagi, you've had it rough--"  
  
Usagi slapped Rei, as hard as she could, sending the Martian reeling into   
the ground. "Shut up! Shut up!" She screamed. "You wouldn't have said that, you   
wouldn't say that, if you thought I was the golden child! You would have yelled   
at me and told me to get my ass in gear and stop feeling sorry for myself. Shut   
up! My past has NOTHING to do with ANY of this! This is about ME. Right now.   
Right FUCKING NOW. This has to do with kicking two of these voices out of my   
  
head, leaving a sane, normal, happy Usagi. This is about sobering up enough to   
rule the world! This is about everything EXCEPT MY PAST."  
  
The child was breathing hard, her fury exploding like a volcano.   
  
Rei was amazed, shocked, surprised, astonished-- and yet she had expected   
it, in some strange, uncomprehending way. Her own anger welled up, anger at   
herself, anger at Usagi, anger at the Divine forces. "Usagi, you had it rough! I   
had it rough! Every single fucking one of us had it rough, alright?" She stated   
coolly, glaring at her fellow senshi. "None of us have Perfect Pasts. We are not   
Perfect People. We do not do Perfect Things. The same thing that makes us and   
humans so alike forces us to make mistakes. But we *learn* from them, Usagi. You   
have to forgive yourself, your have to forgive the world, and you have to   
forgive the people that make you feel."  
  
The child Usagi looked at Rei, frustrated, confused. "I do not forgive."   
She muttered.  
  
Rei matched the look. "You are so stubborn. What happened to you, Usagi?   
You always managed to keep it together. Even when you were throwing hysterics   
you were calm in some disturbed way. What's happening to you?" She shouted.  
  
"I don't know!" The child screamed back, her image distorting into three   
different shapes at once, eerie shadows of the image before it: one of the   
princess, one of the torn woman, and one of Usagi, the Usagi who had to live   
with the other three inside her. The whole Usagi.  
  
Rei climbed to her feet and picked up the child Usagi by the girl's dress,   
shaking her furiously. "Why not?" She whispered. "Why not?"  
  
She never saw it coming. She never expected what happened next.  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Several minutes of precious quiet later, Ayame bounced down the stairs   
again, interrupting Heero in the middle of one of his glares. The perfect   
soldier promptly began a new one, focusing on the young girl.  
  
Ayame ignored him, and turned to Duo, who was twitching and half-asleep.   
  
"They're here, Duo-oji-san!" She sang, in a little voice, as several pairs   
of footsteps were heard on the stairs. Heero snapped to attention, his hand on   
his gun. Duo just shoved Ayame away at the precise moment eleven of the most   
gorgeous women he had ever seen entered the room, all but four wearing sailor   
uniforms like Rei's, only in different colors. Three of the others were dressed,   
impossibly, in even scantier black lather attire straight out of an SM porno.   
The last was tall and elegant, wearing an kimono type-gown.  
  
"Senshi, meet Duo and Heero." Ayame chirped happily.  
  
The tallest of them, a blonde woman expertly welding a glowing sword,   
shoved her way to stare Heero down. "I swear to Zeus that if ONE hair on   
Koneko's head is harmed, you are a dead boy. DEAD. D-E-A-D. Rigor Mortis." She   
probably would have continued, except the other blonde of the group let out a   
small shriek.  
  
"USAGI!" She ran to the silver maiden's side, marveling at the angelic   
fairy wing before realizing the true problem.  
  
One of them looked to Duo. "I'm Setsuna, Mr. Maxwell." She said, in a very   
quiet, mysterious voice. "How long have they been in Usagi's conscious?"  
  
"Ami, try to scan them." The brunette of the porno stars urged.   
  
Duo watched in fascination. He had fallen asleep on the couch and this was   
a really fat wet dream, that was it. Any moment, the red-haired kimono chick   
would break out a whip and use it on the one with sea-green hair, and Setsuna   
would push the tall brunette against the wall and Usagi would stand up and walk   
over to Gutsy-Sword-Chick and then the silver-haired porno star would--  
  
Ami, obviously the blue haired one, pulled a little computer out of   
nowhere and started typing away. The tall brunette stepped forward, not-quite   
discreetly nudging the taller blonde away.  
  
"Hello, I'm Makoto." She said to Heero, cheerfully as can be. "This is   
Haruka." She elbowed the one with the sword. "And she's Minako." She pointed to   
the blonde who was whispering to Rei and Usagi's bodies.  
  
"My name is Hotaru." An exotic oriental woman wearing a violet-and-black   
senshi fuku and holding a wickedly curved glaive stepped forward. "Which one of   
you is descended from me?" She asked.  
  
Ayame pointed to Duo, who was staring at his thousandth great-grandmother   
in absolute disappointment.   
  
"I'm related to the hottest chick on the planet." He groaned quietly.   
"This is just my luck."  
  
"That's my papa." Hotaru smiled gesturing to Haruka. "And this is my mama,   
Michiru." She pointed to the senshi with hair the color of sea foam. "And   
Setsuna is my other mama."  
  
"I'm Yaten. This is Taiki and that's Seiya. And this is our princess,   
Kayakuu." The silver-haired porno star introduced.   
  
Ayame just grinned. "Heero, be a nice sociopath." She said, seeing the   
soldier reach for his gun again. Then, she turned to address the mass of   
beautiful women again. "Minna, Usagi and Rei should be returning to   
consciousness any moment now. I'll go get Zechs and Relena so you may discuss   
your plans."  
  
Haruka looked at Ayame, scornful. "What's there to discuss? I was under   
the impression that once we awoke, we started the alliance."  
  
Michiru sighed. "Would you rather have the co-operation of the humans,   
love, or would you rather start a war again?"  
  
Ami looked up. "She does have a point, Haruka. If we discuss it over with   
some of the more influential people in the world right now, creating the   
alliance will be much easier than it was last time."  
  
Hotaru frowned. "What if they refuse? The way you people suggest it, it   
*does* sound like a world-wide dictatorship. They rejected the idea two and some   
thousand years ago, do you think they'd go for it now?"  
  
"If they're smart they will." Makoto disagreed, her eyes flashing.   
  
"And if they don't?" Hotaru asked, pushing Duo aside so she could sit   
down. "Shall we play the "let's go massacre millions of humans because they   
don't like us" game? Setsuna, tell them they're crazy."  
  
Setsuna shrugged. "I'd be lying if I did." She looked at her watch and   
smiled, and her staff glowed for a slight second.  
  
Hotaru borrowed Heero's look of Painful Things to Come as she eyeballed   
her pseudo-mother. "What the hell was that for, you--"  
  
Before Hotaru could impress them with her rather colorful vocabulary, Ami   
gasped.  
  
"Look!" She screamed, pointing at the place where Usagi and Rei had   
been... and which was now an empty corner.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi melted into the Usagi she thought she had known best, the Usagi with   
the long golden hair. The Usagi that had always had a cheerful smile and a kind   
word for everyone around, the klutzy Usagi, the ditzy Usagi, the Usagi who loved   
life and beautiful things in a way that Rei had always found irritating and now   
understood.  
  
Her best friend, Usagi.  
  
"Usagi-chan?" She ventured, hesitating, for her friend's eyes were closed,   
her lips clamped together as if she were in great pain. A choked cough startled   
Rei and made her jump to the blonde's side, placed a hand on the girl's back,   
concerned. "Are you okay, Usagi? Doushite?"  
  
Usagi erupted into a fit of coughing, so deeply and harshly that a trickle   
of blood flew from her lips and stained part of the surrealistic grasses a dark,   
deep purple-red.  
  
"Usa, Usagi--" Rei hit her leader's back once, twice, before the coughing   
was stopped and more blood had fallen. Gasping deeply, Usagi wiped the blood   
from her lips with the back of her hand.  
  
"Fine." She murmured breathlessly, like she was disorientated. Her blue   
eyes were clouded with pain, something that frightened Rei. The raven senshi   
didn't know why, but the pain in her leader's face really frightened her. She   
honestly couldn't remember Usagi showing pain.  
  
Had it really been so long...?  
  
She counted back on her fingers and soon ran out. Yes, it had been a   
while. It had been a long while since they'd been in the gundam world.  
"Rei, I don't like this." Usagi whispered, sounding pained. "Look around."  
  
Rei did. They were in a small room, but when the change occurred Rei could   
not say. It had happened so unremarkably that she'd not even seen it, something   
that disturbed her even more.   
  
"Do you know this place?" She inquired quietly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Rei looked at Usagi for a long time, and then extended her hand. "Up."   
When Usagi didn't respond, Rei leaned down, grabbed her friend's arm and jerked   
her into a standing position, and then spun the shorter woman to face her.  
  
"Tsukino Usagi, you will listen to me. I'll admit that I thought you were   
an absolute loser incapable of walking let alone leading a powerful group of   
warriors, and a couple of decades ago I would have jumped at the chance to see   
you prove it. But know I know the truth, and you're not going to give up now and   
become a pathetic head case.   
  
"You may be completely off your rocker, but goddamnit, if you weren't we   
would have all been dead a LONG time ago. And you're not giving up now. So stop   
having a nervous breakdown and get us out of your head!"  
  
Usagi looked away, and Rei promptly hauled back and punched her.  
  
  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The very second her fist connected with Usagi's shocked jaw, the room   
vanished and they both fell, down, down into two feet of snow. The cold wetness   
made Rei scream as she landed on top of her blonde friend, who just looked   
bewildered as she pushed Rei off and floundered around for a second before   
getting her bearings and stood up.   
  
"I don't believe it." She muttered, and Rei managed to stand up as well.   
They were both covered in soft, white powder, and she shook it off and turned to   
see what Usagi was staring at.   
  
"Hey-- we're back!" Her nose was about four inches from the door of the   
cabin. She turned to grin at Usagi. "I should punch you more often."  
  
Usagi's hand shot to her face and tenderly poked at the forming bruise.   
"No, thank you. I'm going to talk funny for a week as it is." She laughed a   
little. "I'm glad you did, though. I might have never got us out of there."  
  
"Where were we?"  
  
"In an old dream of mine were I'm a rat in a maze dying of poisoning where   
they poked nail polish in my eye." She replied matter-of-factly.   
  
Rei raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought I had weird dreams. Why-- oh,   
never mind. I'm not asking. I don't think I want to know."   
  
"No, you probably don't. Shh-- do you feel that? The senshi are here. All   
of them. Kakayuu, too. Hmm. They're in the basement. And all alive.   
Interesting."  
  
"You'd think that Haruka would have killed someone by now." Rei commented,   
shaking the snow off of her as best as she could. "Want to go in?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "I haven't seen Kakayuu in a while. Why not?"  
  
  
  
------------------  
  
  
Aiye, no time for a next chapter! I've got to finish sixteen! Eeek! (I will give you a preview of a coming chapter, however!)  
  
  
I'm not sure which chapterthis will be yet.  
  
  
  
  
Duo was awake at four in the morning. He went immediately to the courtyard and found Venus and Uranus waiting for him. Usagi was no where in sight.  
  
His pack was of medium size and jet-black leather, double stitched with steel-threaded silk, stuff that would never rip. He wore his usual clothing, a black button-up shit with a priest's collar, riding pants, also black, and his plain black cap. His braid was pinned up under the cap, and once he pulled the cap down low, he was indistinguishable from anything around him. His soft ivory skin was muted by some internal will of his own, and he could have made himself invisible, Venus felt, as she watched him approach.  
  
"I'm glad we're taking him." Uranus muttered. "He'll be invaluable."  
  
The love senshi nodded, agreeing whole-heartedly. She was not eager to run into a place that she was clueless about. The idea was enough to get adrenaline pumping through her veins, the bad sort of adrenaline that made her jittery.   
  
Duo, however, was deathly calm as he crossed the dew-soaked grasses, his hands resolutely in his pockets, his head down. He made no noise as he walked, and his step was as sure as any mountain goat's had ever been. Somehow, ever thought she the relation was ever so distant, he reminded her of Saturn at the warrior's best.  
  
Yes, she was very glad they were taking him.  
  
"Hey. Are you guys ready?" He asked, his voice as calm and quiet as his step.   
  
Venus gave him a V for Victory sign, smiling. "Yeah. I didn't think our subspace pocket where that big, but I've got everything I might need."  
  
Uranus rolled her eyes. "Hoo, boy, does she ever. I tell them both, just the necessities, and you better believe that when I went to look every single item in her room's been cleared out. Even that damn blanket."  
  
Venus looked thoroughly offended. "If you mean my custom-made orange and yellow feather down comforter, then you had better be apologizing, Haruka. And besides, Michiru said you had insisted on taking Pookykins." The senshi of love arched once delicately shaped eyebrow. "Just the necessities, huh?"  
  
Sailor Uranus colored to a nice, ripe eggplant. "POOKYKINS IS A TREASURED-- PRICELESS-- UNREPLACEABLE--" She yelled in her loudest whisper. "HOW DARE YOU FOUL POOKYKINS'S NAME?!"  
  
Duo looked at Uranus, bewildered. "What is a Pookykins?"  
  
"An eleven-foot tall stuffed kangaroo complete with pouch big enough for enough for Uranus to sleep in." Venus supplied an answer. "It's chenille."  
  
  
  
Hehe... don't ask.... 


	15. StoryTelling For Fun and Profit!

The Reflection of a Soul, chapter 15, I think  
StoryTelling For Fun and Profit!  
black beyond  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
  
--------------  
  
  
*shrinks away from rabid crowd* Yes, I know, I deserve to be killed and maimed and a dozen other bad  
things. And I'm not going to give you the mountain of excuses that I have stacked around my feet. But  
I have a couple of announcements for you.  
  
First off: Due to my lazy/forgettfulness, my e-mail account was shut down and I only just now realized  
it. So if any of you have tried to reach me to kick my ass via pc, it didn't get to me. Gomen!  
  
I am working on the sequel to The Road Less Travelled. But don't hold your breath, alright?   
  
I will honestly try to have the next chapter of ROS out in a timely matter. Sorry for those of you who've  
acquired gray hair waiting. You have permission to track me down and beat me. Or my muses. Or both.  
  
In this chapter I straighten one of the story lines out. Yeah, thank the gods, no kidding. I was starting   
confuse myself.  
  
Fans of Pookie: Fear not. No harm will come to him.  
  
~'~  
  
  
Only a few moments earlier, Jirasu had clapped her hands for attention.   
Minako was still in a rather amusing state of hysterical shock, but she had   
regained enough of her senses to listen. The other phantasms had left, fearing   
the garnet orb that Setsuna had been holding while glaring furiously at them   
all.  
  
"For those of you who have so kindly been absent for the last month or so,   
there have been questions raised about the moon princess."  
  
Haruka looked up, her attention captured. "What kind of questions?" She   
demanded angrily.   
  
Setsuna slapped her own forehead and groaned. "I swear, one day I'm going   
to kill all of you." She lunged for Jirasu, who danced out of reach behind   
Heero.  
  
Peeking out of her hiding place, she grinned. "If everyone would be quiet   
for five or so minutes, our good Sailor Pluto would be more than happy to tell us   
all a little story."  
  
Setsuna's glare intensified. "You little, no-good, nambsy-pambsy,   
meddling, insane, stupid little bitch."  
  
Duo quirked a grin. "Am I the only one sensing a little hostility over   
here?"  
  
Jirasu gasped, made a stabbing motion to her breast and swooned. "Through   
the heart, my companera. Now, the story? Unless you prefer I summon Ayame to   
tell it. She'll stick to all the gory little details like rice to a frying pan."  
  
After Setsuna sacrificed her elegant decor even more to call Jirasu a   
series of curses that even Haruka was a bit stunned at, she settled down a   
little and cleared her throat.   
  
"I shouldn't be telling you this without the princess's approval. But   
since she is apparently disposed, and some of you look ready to murder, I'll   
give you what you want to know. And I'll do it MY WAY." Setsuna shot a dirty   
look at Jirasu.  
  
"Once upon a far-off time...."  
  
  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Once upon a far-off time, there was a beautiful child princess. She had   
sun-colored hair and big grayish blue eyes and was always dressed in pretty   
silks and satins. Her mother was kind and good and they lived in a palace on the   
edge of a wondrous sea that she was named after: the Sea of Serenity.  
  
For the longest time, everything was happy and good. The princess was   
adored by all who saw her and she was a pretty child, both inside and out. She   
was never cruel and not once did she act spoiled, which is very easy for   
princesses to do.   
  
When the princess had just barely stopped being a toddler, not quite yet   
old enough to be deemed a little girl but too big to be called the baby princess   
anymore, something bad happened.  
  
Perhaps this isn't so strange to you. But you must know something about   
the kingdom that the child princess's mother ruled: it was a very peaceful and   
lawful country. No one was bad or evil there. Nothing bad ever happened. Which   
is why that when this particular event happened, no one knew quite what to do.  
  
The child princess was kidnapped. She had wandered away from her nana in   
the markets and was snatched up so quickly that no one saw it, not even the Sun.  
  
The princess had been taken by a man called Morpheus. He took her away to   
earth, to a very secluded place near one of Earth's poles called Teikai.   
  
Morpheus was an evil man. He took children from their homes when no one   
was looking and snuck them back to his horrible fortress in that reclusive place   
and hurt them in every way a child can be hurt. And then he taught them horrible   
rules and made them kill for him.   
  
Perhaps it can be said that Morpheus, however cold, taught these children   
how to survive in a universe quickly becoming a hostile, chaotic place. But no   
one is left who would care to stand up in his defense and say it; the princess   
killed them all.  
  
He did that to the child princess, and had she been any other child,   
perhaps she would have forgotten her happiness and become the hateful,   
emotionless beast he tried to make her. But the child managed to retain a single   
dream of light and wonderful things, a dream that comforted her at night and   
kept her innocence from becoming lost. So, that in the oceans of blood that had   
been spilt at her delicate hands, she had somehow kept a queer aura of luminance   
that never let any room she dwelled in stay dark.  
  
And this infuriated Morpheus. He was unable to break a baby, a girl, a   
princess. In all the childhoods he had shredded, he could not even dent the   
purity of Serenity.  
  
So he hated her. And yet, he loved her. She was the challenge that was his   
destiny. She was his perfect assassin, his failed monster. She was of a   
technique that he'd never seen before. She had been spun of a cloth he could not   
tear.  
  
But he tried. Oh yes, if anything can be said for Morpheus is it that he   
was a horribly persistent man. For almost twelve years he tried his damnedest to   
break the little princess. For twelve years, he failed.  
  
And finally, she killed him. With all the cold, calculating ruthlessness   
that he had successfully taught her, she killed him and laughed at his screams   
of agony.   
  
And she left. And in the same day, Lunarian Authorities arrested her by   
order of the Imperial Queen Serenity and she was escorted to the palace.  
  
I think the rest of that story is known to you.  
  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi and Rei had walked down right after Setsuna had began her short   
story, and everyone was paying too much attention to the unraveling mystery to   
notice their arrival. Well, Jirasu did flip a strange smile their way, but she   
didn't count... did she?  
  
  
Rei half listened to Setsuna's words. She had seen all of it herself...   
she didn't need a watered-down, unenthusiastic quickie of it. Instead, she   
watched Usagi, who was carefully taking in the occupants of the room. The five   
gundam pilots, Relena, Dorothy, Noin, and Zechs, the Starlights, all of the   
planetary senshi, and Kakayuu. It was crowded, Haruka had her sword out, and   
Setsuna looked agitated.  
  
Her mind was telling her to run for it. Every logical iota of her body was   
screaming run for it. This is not good. Lots of trigger-happy, fully trained-to-  
kill people in a smallish room. Escape before she finishes. Find Kage, get   
directions, go fight.   
  
But as much as she could see the logic in what her mind was screaming at   
her, her body refused to obey, and what was left of her heart escaped from its   
fortress and for the first time in very many years, took over.  
  
"You will stay." Its formerly meek voice was loud and bold. "This is   
getting ridiculous. First you drag out an inevitable confrontation into several   
dreamscapes. Then you will run from this? Your sisters? I will not stand for it.   
You *will* stay."  
  
Usagi grumbled inwardly, not wanting to submit to this strange force. But   
in essence, she knew it the only good way. She couldn't go bonkers yet.  
  
She started as Setsuna drew the short tale to a close and slid her mask   
over her face. Quickly she pulled Rei back into a corner and mumbled something   
about watching their reactions first.  
  
Ami didn't disappoint her. There was a doubtful look in her eyes. "Do you   
know how highly improbable that is, Setsuna? It's a carefully balanced story...   
the timeline is just so. If I didn't know you as well as I hope I do, I wouldn't   
believe it."  
  
Haruka's voice trembled just a little; only the most trained of ears   
caught it. "So... Koneko lied?"  
  
Rei opened her mouth but Usagi stopped her. Yaten had already jumped in to   
answer in his scornful voice.  
  
"As I recall, none of us ever asked about her past. And I certainly never   
heard any of you."  
  
Makoto shook her head. "Yaten is right. I never thought to ask... I just   
assumed... she was always so happy..."  
  
"I don't... well..." Minako looked unsure. "I can't believe it..." She   
looked ready to cry. "I never once... we all..."  
  
Michiru looked over at Seiya, who looked very disturbed. And then, a new   
question came into her mind. Quietly, she looked at Setsuna, who suddenly looked   
quite ashamed.   
  
"Setsuna, you didn't even go into detail. I'm guessing that there's a lot   
more than you told us." Setsuna opened her mouth to retort, but Michiru held up   
her hand. "It's alright. I don't want you to. It isn't our business. And I don't   
think some of us could handle it right now."  
  
Ami jumped. Quatre looked at her strangely as she spun around to face   
Setsuna, a look of pure alarm etched into her pretty features.   
  
"Setsuna--- that was only the last life." She ventured. Setsuna's stomach,   
along with everyone else's in the room, plummeted to the floor with a sickening   
lurch. "What-- what of this one?" Her eyes were pleading for Setsuna to smile   
and say, 'Oh, this one? Ah, easy break. Once upon a time, you know?'  
  
Setsuna's expression froze, and somehow she managed to look like a deer in   
headlights.  
  
Rei felt Usagi stiffen and move out of their hiding place as graceful as a   
swan over water. She didn't look quite human in her walk of defeat.  
  
"Setsuna, it's alright. I don't mind. You don't have to tell them. I won't   
make you." She told her softly. Her appearance surprised them all. Duo grinned a   
quirky grin and Heero relaxed quite visibly.   
  
Setsuna looked grateful. "My queen." She acknowledged.   
  
Usagi turned to look at everyone in the room. "Story time later, boys and   
girls. Right now, since I've got everyone important in one room, we need to get   
to business. Rei, you and Ami work with Relena and Noin. Miri-chan, you're with   
them. Figure out a way for me to ascend gracefully. Haruka, I need you and the   
outers to work with Duo, Heero, and Trowa. Work out military things. Starlights,  
you talk to Wufei and Quatre. I need strategy. Jirasu, go find your phantasms and   
find everything you can on Genso and Morpheus and Shorisha and whoever else is on  
the bad side. Even if its just a list of names." She joined Relena's powwow. "Let's   
move! We really don't have much time."  
  
After the initial shock wore off, everyone realized the sensibility of her   
orders and moved to work.  
  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Lucky for them all, Relena had a broadcast scheduled for the next day.   
Just about everyone in the colonies, on the moon, and on earth, friend or foe,   
would hear the announcements that Relena was supposed to make.  
  
Of course, Relena scrapped her entire speech. It was about peace and how   
to achieve it. But, she thought in satisfaction, as she waited for the all clear   
sign to beam green, she had found a way.   
  
Usagi, in a Grecian style gown of black and indigo, paced nervously. The   
silver cornet on her head was heavy to her, heavier than it should have been.   
Her eight senshi stood alert in the background of the broadcast area, carrying   
their weapons. Mars had been a bit reluctant to hold her fire bow for very long,   
but in the end had agreed. The starlights and Kakyuu, all in full uniform, stood   
with them. They would be seen behind both Relena, and when the two switched   
places, behind Neo-Queen Serenity, as well.   
  
They were quite imposing.  
  
The five gundams were there as well, guarding the perimeters of the   
palace. Miriardo's guard was there as well.   
  
Relena had never felt safer.  
  
  
A nervous looking techie turned to give the princess of the Sanq Kingdom a   
thumbs up. "Ready when you are."  
  
Dorothy gave her lover's arm a reassuring squeeze. "Knock 'em dead,   
koibito." She whispered.  
  
Relena laughed. "I'm sure that some of them will die. It's not every day I   
renounce my positions..."  
  
Dorothy nodded. She wished she could see her uncle's face when he heard   
this...  
  
  
Serenity stopped pacing, adjusted her cornet for the four millionth time,   
and took a deep breath. She shot a dirty look at the crew, who kept looking at   
her strangely. The senshi straightened up and did their best to look menacing.   
Which... really, when you think about... wasn't hard to do.  
  
Relena took her place at the podium. Automatically, she looked down at her   
notes. She smiled when she saw Duo's message, the only piece of paper there.  
  
'SMILE, Dammit!'  
  
"Rolling in five... four... three... two..." The man working the camera   
paused, and then gave her the signal that the world was watching.  
  
She would miss that signal.  
  
She smiled cheerfully and gave her customary greeting, the one everyone   
could say in perfect sync with the princess of pacifism.  
  
It was the only part of the speech that was routine.  
  
"Let's get right to business." She said, throwing everyone but those who   
knew off. "I have many subjects of interest for you all. First of all, I would   
like to offer my resignation as Princess of the Sanq Kingdom." She paused,   
waiting a few seconds. "Second, I want to declare war on all those who oppose   
the Sanq Kingdom after this broadcast is through. And thirdly, I would like to   
introduce Neo-Queen Serenity." Her slightly maniacal grin didn't help the shock   
most of the people watching must be feeling at all.  
  
She stepped off the podium and walked off screen. In the background,   
Saturn let the light glint off the blade of her glaive as their queen walked   
with dignity to the podium and took her place behind it.  
  
It baffled all the senshi save Rei. Who was this valkrye, this amazon   
queen? Where did her grace, here elegance, her intelligence, and her control come   
from? And most importantly of all... where had her emotion gone?  
  
She was not their Usagi anymore. Their Usagi would have never done   
anything like this. Their Usagi would be flushing red and stuttering, knowing   
that billions of people watched on for her words. Their Usagi would have grinned   
and argued with Rei, begged them to bring Luna and Artemis out of the time   
streams where they were doing Setsuna's job while the time senshi was there.   
Their Usagi...  
  
Their Usagi would have at least smiled.  
  
But this queen did not. She looked sad and stern as she took her place in   
front of the camera. The ginzuishou, hung securely around her neck by a silver   
chain, dazzled for a few seconds as Serenity paused, letting her audience take   
her in.  
  
Right now, she had all the time in the world.  
  
"Hello. I am the Neo-Queen Serenity, of the Earth and Moon." She hesitated   
briefly. She wanted that title absorbed into everyone's minds. "Princess Relena   
has let me speak here today to announce something that affects every one of you.   
I have a proclamation to make:  
  
"I claim rights to the moon, my birthright, and to the Earth. I am their   
rightful queen and ruler. This won't affect most of you. I have no intentions of   
forcing you to assimilate to a lifestyle much different from the ones you lead   
now. I merely want peace. I want your happiness, and your loyalty. I want no   
sacrifice or bloodshed. And I can achieve this." The words rang true in the air.   
The winds carried her charm and her magic.   
  
"I want you only to lay down your arms. Right now, where you stand. All   
who do so shall receive a full pardon. No punishment will come to you. All who   
do not shall have the pleasure of incurring my wrath." Something black flashed   
in her eyes. "I promise you I do not come without a capable army. Already the   
gundam pilots have joined with me. I have at my disposal the Sailor Senshi and   
the army of Sanq." A quiet smile played around the corners of her lips.   
  
Far away, the heads of Romafeller were beating their heads into their   
desks. Oz was in a panic. Treize just sat back and smiled.  
  
Morpheus laughed, recognizing his little assassin. Genso frowned, looking   
quite furious. He had not forgotten her either.  
  
"I leave you to think about it. Send your refusals or treaties anyway you   
see fit. They will reach me. I thank you for listening. Goodbye."  
  
She glided off camera.   
  
And chaos ensued.  
  
No ending bit today, folks. Keep those reviews coming! ^_~ 


	16. The Great Goddess Relena

Reflection of a Soul, Chapter Sixteen  
The Great Goddess Relena  
Black Beyond  
~'~  
  
Ack, minna, I am so sorry that that this is so late! I honestly and  
truly wanted to have it out sooner, I swear it upon my Sailor Moon  
CD collection! And this time, I actually have a legit excuse, too!   
My computer crashed! But that's ok. Because guess what I'm typing on   
right now?  
  
You guessed it! A brand bloody new Gateway XP! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! I know!  
I'm excited too. It's my b-day present! I'm finally sixteen! Yippee, go  
4-29! I get to drive! O_O!   
  
That's right, be afraid. Be very, very afraid.  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
  
  
Morpheus gazed, as tranquil as any had ever seen him, into his wineglass, completely entranced by the   
blood-colored liquid he beheld there. He was quite oblivious to Genso's obscene ragings as the said man   
paced furiously the length of the hall, throwing whatever object he found at any target he saw. A book   
and vase had both came at Morpheus but had not hit their target; not that Morpheus would have let them.   
  
  
Their minions had long fled the hall, fearing their master's fury, and fearing their other master's peace   
even more. It was if one had become the other.   
  
"Genso, I do mean to sound disrespectful. Pray thee forgive me-- but will you please stop that? It is   
doing us little good. Our little playmate had grown an admirable set of claws and you're not helping with  
her scratches."  
  
Genso turned like a wild beast to glare upon his companion. "How dare you be so calm right now! Don't you   
SEE what that brazened little bitch has done? She's challenging us! Stupid, insane, foul--"  
  
Morpheus chuckled mockingly at him. "And you didn't expect it? Do you forget how you died, Genso? She   
killed your entire family in her escape. Did you not think that a challenge worthy of vengeance? Just   
now you incur your anger?"  
  
Genso called him something vulgar in his native language. "Oh, and I suppose you're not the least bit   
pissed she carved out your insides?"  
  
Morpheus shrugged and sipped his drink, savoring the taste before giving his answer. "I always knew she   
would."  
  
The other man snorted. "Yeah, well, I never expected her to actually kill me."  
  
A smirk. "And here we have your fatal mistake. Now I always knew the little bastard would be my end.   
I quite welcomed it. She was my masterpiece and my failure, you know. I am not foolish enough to hope   
to ever meet her equal, shall he be god, man, or beast."  
  
Genso eyed him with distaste. "Are you saying you don't think we, with our armies and powers, have a   
chance at her?"  
  
Morpheus rolled the exquisite glass in his palm, watching the richly colored liquid swish against the   
clear sides. "We can kill the little princess-- her would-be lover, the brother. Maybe do away with   
some of those retched senshi and perhaps even murder those boys she calls soldiers. Her? Do you really  
not know? I know you were born of an age without magic... but can you really not know?" He sounded genuinely   
curious.  
  
Genso's eyebrows rose, and his lip curled. "Know what, oh great one?"  
  
Morpheus laughed at him. "You fool. All this time... have you been waiting for your chance to slay the   
queen? I thought the knowledge of her immortality was quite common... even the lowliest youma speak   
of it in awe. That cripple-- last of Beryl's-- he speaks quite reverently of the Old Queen's Sacrifice."  
  
The halls echoed with the string of oaths that Genso screamed then, drowning out Morpheus's arrogant   
chuckles.  
  
Morpheus, with all the patience that he never possessed, smiled and waited until the fit died down. And   
then, his saucy baritone murmured a few words that rang for hours in Genso's sulking ears.  
  
"My dear villain... didn't you know... immortals die all the time..."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Usagi collapsed into the overstuffed chair, exhausted beyond anything she could remember at that moment.  
After the broadcast there had been a lull of a total of twelve seconds before the telephones had been   
flooded. Planes had lifted, cars were headed their way, etc. She, Relena, Dorothy, Rei, and Minako had   
handled the telephone calls. Mostly the demand had been first for Relena, to insure the authenticity of   
the proclamation, and then for Serenity, to deal with the agreements and demands with Mercury looking sternly   
over her shoulder.  
  
Only one faction was holding out: Romafeller. But without Treize's backing, their ground was growing   
quite shaky. OZ had whimpered out almost immediately, but it was Treize who had reached Serenity first.   
As charming and elegant as he was reputed to be, he had been politely curious about her announcement.   
Upon learning the details he'd agreed after some deliberation.   
  
Mercury, Serenity had noticed, took an immediate liking to General Kushrenada.  
  
One by one, factions that even Heero had never heard of came forward to inquire. One by one they were   
seduced by Serenity's magic and gave up.   
  
But Usagi didn't care about that right now. There was a dark cloud that had settled into the pit of her  
mind. It was a familiar presence, and an unwelcome one. She had impressed them all with her spells and   
enchantments today, but no amount of wizardry or witchcraft could keep the battle that had been inevitable  
ever since Fate rolled the dice against her from occurring.  
  
And slowly but surely, the sand in the hourglass was running out. Her charmed years were almost over.  
  
It was funny-- she knew what she needed to make happen. But she had no idea what she would do when faced with   
her two nightmares. For the first time in her lives, she was unsure of the outcome of a battle.  
  
It disturbed her.   
  
She rolled over. She had been given a room on one of the top floors. It was dusty and a faint scent of mothballs   
lingered, but it was a comfortable, cozy room with a fireplace. The bed was made of feathers and the furniture   
was well-worn and soft. She needed the sleep she had not gotten in days.   
  
She remembered Haruka's indignant words: "Nero fiddled while Rome burned-- trust Usagi to sleep!"  
  
She grinned sleepily. It was nice, though, knowing she was safe. The senshi could hold their own   
against anyone for a bit. With the pilots and the starlights and Kakyuu, they were an unstoppable   
force. She could sleep and not worry about waking up with an all-too-familiar shadow hovering over her.   
  
She slid off the chair and stripped off her old coronation gown and found a loose shirt to put on.   
She crossed the room and looked at the bed for a minute, capturing it with delectable delight.  
  
The pillows were huge, plump with feathers and a soft, rosy pink. The violet blanket looked like   
chenille. The mattresses were feather. With a squeal she leapt into the middle of it and laughed in   
relish as she sank into pure softness.   
  
She barely had time to snuggle under the covers before she was asleep, purposely and blissfully ignorant   
of the dark, impending doom that darkened the sunlight outside.  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
"Hey, where'd Usagi go?" Jupiter was holding a thick clipboard in one hand. In the other, she held a   
steaming printout and a pen. She frowned as Fighter shrugged irritably.   
  
"How the hell am I supposed to know?" She demanded. "I've got this punk little asshole claiming to be   
the head of an underground cult called the Sirens," she pointed furiously at a greasy teenager on hold   
on the vidscreen, "and he wants to know if Serenity is the Great Goddess... Lesbiana? Yeah, something   
like that." Jupiter chuckled at her comrade's flushed face. "How the hell am *I* supposed to know?!"  
  
Jupiter did her best not to laugh and tried to look sympathetic. "I know how you feel. I've got Romafeller's   
history right here--" she waved the mile-long printout, "and what dirt Mercury could immediately find here."  
She jerked her head towards the clipboard. "We've got enough to black-mail them into dancing around naked  
wearing a tea-towel while singing dirty limericks to the tune of the macerena on inter-spacial television...   
but I need her signature..." Jupiter sighed.  
  
Fighter looked wearily at the vidscreen. "MINAKO!" She yelled.  
  
Right on cue, Sailor Venus burst through the doors and smiled a wide, happy smile. "You screeched?"  
  
"No, I yelled. Deal with this kid before I kill him." Fighter briefed her and fled.  
  
One of Venus's delicately shaped eyebrows arched devilishly and she smiled a very maniacal grin. "Jupiter,   
darling," She said, honey dripping from her voice. "could you step out? I want to have some fuuun." There   
was an unstable edge to her voice that made Jupiter very happy to comply. "But only for fifteen minutes. I   
have places to be. Yaten will take over after me." She called after the Jupiter soldier.  
  
She tripped over Luna on her way out.  
  
"Hey!" Luna meowed angrily. "Some of us are working!"  
  
"Catching mice doesn't count." Jupiter informed her. Then, her eyes lit up. "Hey, Luna... do you know how   
to forge our beloved queen's signature...?"  
  
As they walked off, Mars and Saturn rounded the corner in heated debate.  
  
"I don't CARE! I won't wake her up! She needs the energy, Saturn! You will keep your place!"  
  
Saturn bristled visibly and drew herself up, whirling to face Sailor Mars with all the cloaking terror   
of her title. "Keep my place?" Her voice was low and dark, a sign that she was infuriated beyond her   
means. "Try keeping yours, Mars! She sleeps while we attempt to keep civil war from destroying the   
countryside! There are several smaller factions resisting us yet and without Serenity's enchantments   
we are making little headway! Healer and Neptune are doing their best but we NEED Serenity!"  
  
Mars glanced around them-- at the end of the hallways a small maid girl was listening avidly to their  
argument. Mars sighed.  
  
"I am Princess of Mars, Hotaru." She said quietly. "I know just as many spells as our queen. I'll   
change into a dress and do whatever you want me to. Just let Usagi sleep."  
  
Saturn calmed at the compromise. "Alright. The vidroom we've been working in is this way..."  
  
Mercury stomped out of a door, nearly knocking both of them over. Saturn was about to ask what happened   
when Maker came running after the Mercurian soldier.  
  
"Wait, Ami! I didn't mean to make you angry! I just meant that Treize is really young--" Her voice   
faded as she raced after Mercury.  
  
They couldn't make out what Mercury shouted, but they heard the slap from a floor away.  
  
Mars winced.  
  
"Ami's got a violent side." Saturn remarked.   
  
"Only when you mention age, weight, and slash or footsize." Mars replied, letting magic take her to   
leave her wearing a strapless black gown. Violet-feathered wings erupted from her back and her golden   
circlet, adorned with a single teardrop ruby, appeared in her raven locks. "Then, I wouldn't dare   
argue with her for both of my moons." She began to chant the same spells Serenity had cast before her  
broadcast.   
  
Saturn smiled. "Taiki-san is going to have lots of making-up to do. I envy him. Not all of us get some   
whenever we want to because of a 'mutual agreement'."  
  
Princess Rei chuckled. "Trust Ami to make quickies into a contract."  
  
~'~  
  
  
Throwing her sword on the far table, Sailor Uranus ran her gloved hands through her short, sandy hair and   
looked at the five pilots. She was a little unnerved by the Chinese pilot. He was so damned serious and   
uncooperative and if he called her a bakaonna one more time she would shove a World Shaking up his ass   
and SHOW him stupid woman.  
  
She smiled a little at the thought of the way he'd walk out of the room after that...  
  
"I am the General of the Queen's army." She informed them, her turquoise eyes fixed on Wufei's. If the   
other four pilots grew five more heads and turned bright orange she wouldn't have noticed. "I rose to   
that position by skill, but I don't dare to believe I can do it by myself. I rely on Mercury and Saturn  
for strategy, Mars for insight, and Venus for her damned crazy ideas that always work. And it appears   
I will have to rely on you guys for the time being for brute strength."  
  
A slight scowl crossing her face, she held up an official-looking document and read from it in a voice  
that clearly said she did not like what she read. "By order of her Majesty Princess Selene the Twenty-  
eighth of the moon and Neo-Queen Serenity the first of Earth, the senshi are not to use any advanced   
energy attack upon human enemy. Blah blah blah." She glared even more fiercely at Wufei. "Do you get   
that?"  
  
To everyone's surprise, it was Trowa who spoke. His eyes were riveted on the stained cedar table before  
him, and he never once looked up from it while he spoke.  
  
"I gather it means that you are not allowed to perform any magic that requires energy to be refined   
into a state other than what it is already in. And since the usage of raw energy is very unpredictable  
and uncontrollable and leaves the user weak and sometimes dead, you are unwilling to use ki. So you   
have little but your brains and strength--"  
  
"Just like us poor humans." Duo grinned.  
  
Trowa looked at him and actually smiled, forgetting his anger at the Shinigami.  
  
"Yes." He nodded.  
  
Uranus sighed. "That's exactly what it means, bang-boy. So as much as I want to gather forces and slam the   
final resisting factions into the ground, I can't. And sadly, I can't argue either, because Koneko has   
good cause. And that leads up to why we need you."  
  
Quatre frowned. "What can we do that you senshi can not?" He asked, her brow furrowing. He glanced up at   
Heero and was surprised to find that the Perfect Soldier was more relaxed than Quatre could ever remember   
seeing him. Heero seemed to feel his stare and looked over and he smiled-- just a bit of a tug around the   
corners of his lips, but it was there, and it was a smile.  
  
Quatre was dumbfounded, until he saw that Heero's left hand and Wufei's right were out of sight and smiled   
himself. Wufei, too, had apparently relaxed.  
  
Duo noticed Quatre's sudden fascination with Heero and followed the blonde's gaze. He smiled wickedly.   
"Awwww! Ain't that just sweet? Wufie and Hee-chan's holdin' hands!"  
  
Heero shrugged while Wufei turned a bright reddish-purple. "So?"  
  
Uranus cleared her throat. "Relena, Dorothy, and yes, even Mirialdo must be protected. Kakyuu and Artemis  
protect Koneko, but we have to think of the Peacecrafts. They are a perfect target. And..." She paused,   
looked at all five of them, and began to pace.  
  
"I don't exactly know how to explain this... I'm not sure on the details myself. But the queen has enemies   
with powers beyond your wildest imagination. I can't even imagine it, and I've seen some pretty powerful   
people. I have to ask you to be as alert as possible. I understand your war is now over--"  
  
Quatre held up his hand, cutting her off. "We understand, Haruka-san. You presume too much. I would be   
delighted to offer my assistance. After all, it was Serenity who ended our war years before it would have  
been ended. We owe her a lot."  
  
"We'll help." Wufei said, speaking for them all.   
  
"After all, what else do we have to do?" Duo asked, his cheeky grin absent. He looked more somber than any   
of them could ever remember seeing.   
  
Uranus smiled, a true smile that was rare on her face. "Alright. Here's the plan...."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Relena rubbed her temples. "Boy, just when you think this job can't get any worse..." She mumbled,   
shuffling through the papers in front of her. She turned back to the vidscreen, not bothering to  
conceal her exhaustion. Not with him, who looked just as exasperated as she felt.  
  
"Sorry, Mr.-- Treize, I don't know. She did say a full pardon, and I've known Serenity long enough   
to know she wouldn't make an exception unless it was truly needed. I'm sure you'll be pardoned. Besides,  
you'd be a wonderful asset in the weeks to come. From what I've heard, you're a great strategist."  
  
Treize smiled his charming smile at her and leaned back into his chair. "From what I've seen so far,   
my lovely Relena, you have more than one strategist already on your team. This carcass of mine couldn't  
be of much use."  
  
"Hell, Treize," Duo leaned over the back of Relena chair, winking suggestively at the man, "if nothing else  
we could use you for meat. You look better than some of the stiffs down here."  
  
One eyebrow arched. "I'm flattered you think so."  
  
Duo smiled.  
  
Relena batted Duo away. "So, you're not gonna cause a ruckus and throw tantrums and proclaim injustice, et   
cetera and so forth? you'll help us out?"  
  
"Romafeller is not going to pleased with me. I've already got vid on hold with screaming colonels about how   
I'm a yellow-livered coward for surrendering without a fight, how dare I not support my cause." Treize looked   
delighted with the fact.   
  
Duo, in revenge for the undignified dismissal, pounced on Relena and bumped her out of her chair, leaving   
her to land in a heap on the floor. She glared up after him as he started flirting with Kushrenada, stood   
up, and left the office room.  
  
She looked into the office across from hers, where Rei, looking remarkably alluring, was speaking to a man   
on the vid. Relena shook her head at the dark senshi and headed towards the sounds of laughter.  
  
Around the corner of the long corridor, she found Hotaru, Jupiter, and Fighter laughing hysterically outside   
an open office door. She approached them cautiously, because even though she'd known them but for a short   
while, she knew that whatever the senshi found funny was likely to explode in your face with an eruption of   
cherry goo.   
  
Please, don't ask.  
  
"What's so funny?" She inquired.  
  
Fighter looked ready to fall over. "Oh-- oh-- it's-- hehe-- Yaten-- Lesbiana-- hehe-- they think-- oh my--"   
Then, she promptly fell over.  
  
Thoroughly disturbed, Relena slowly stuck her head inside, and after no exceptionally nasty shock, she went in.   
  
"No! No! I am not a lesbian! I used to have a boyfriend! And I'm sure as hell not a goddess of Lesbians! Serenity   
isn't either! You want Neptune or Uranus!"  
  
"Oh, beautiful, modest Divinity, please take our homage to you as the mere offering of lesser mortals--"  
  
Relena's eyes became as wide as saucers.  
  
"Why don't you talk to Dorothy or Noin or Sally or Relena or someone! You want a gay guy? We got plenty of those   
walking around, too! Just not me! I AM NOT LESBIANA! NOT ME! NOOO!" Sailor Star Healer, looking remarkably kawaii   
in the middle of a nervous break down, screamed passionately at the vid.   
  
"You aren't?" The young girl on the screen played with her dark hair, unsure.   
  
Healer fell to her knees and began sobbing. Relena could only guess at how long this had been going on. "No!   
I'm not!"  
  
"Then-- who is? The Great Prophetess Morgaini predicted Her coming the year that the Divine Serene Majesty   
arose." The girl closed her eyes. " 'She who will lead you will be of blonde locks and cat eyes, the beauty   
of the kingdom, lover to a princess. She will lead you, oh young maidens, and she will command you, and you   
will be a magnificent army in the service of the Divine Serene Majesty.'"  
  
Mercury, who had also stopped to see what was going on, leapt for the screen, her interest captured. "Did   
she really predict that? When?"  
  
The girl looked delighted. "In the Gregorian year 2158 AD"  
  
Relena, however, was not as convinced. She shoved both Mercury and Healer out the way and glowered at the   
vid. "Yeah, right. Who told you Dorothy and I were lovers? That was just too cakey for me."  
  
"By the oceans-- you know the goddess Lesbiana!?"  
  
"No, I don't!"  
  
"Oh, beautiful, modest lover of the Great Goddess, accept this homage to you..."  
  
~'~  
  
I hate to stop it right there, but the next part makes a good opener! And I promise to have it out in a few  
days, too! Ooo! I'm making up for all those long waits right now.   
  
On a more sorrowful note, this is the last funny bit for a while. It's gonna get bloody, get dirty, and get   
dark faster than yo momma can say thanks. So you've been warned!  
  
Next chapter: Tears of the Fallen Ones  
  
In a cataclysm of events, one of the senshi is murdered by our favorite villiany duo. Usagi is out for the   
ultimate revenge, and nothing shall stand in her way, not worried and mourning friends or strange   
civilations. She will return to Teikai, now in the dark universe, and she will kill her former trainers,   
or she'll die a thousand times trying to. Will she succede? Which of our beloved senshi dies? How does this  
occur?  
  
Uh... good question... 


	17. Tears of the Fallen Ones

The Reflection of a Soul Chapter 17  
Tears of the Falln Ones  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
-------------  
  
Disclaimers. Hate 'em. And if you don't know by now that I don't own the majority of these  
bloody characters than you are either stupid or blind. And if you're blind you can't read this so you're stupid. Sorry, but you are.  
  
No, I am NOT PMSing!  
  
Anyway, this is the next chapter. It's a bit longer than usual but I had a long scene. And I don't hear any complaints. ^_^  
  
Oh, yeah. Death of my second favorite senshi. Warning alert, blood, gore, big evil things, general darkness. Kiddies, venture no further if your parents are the suing type. I warned you. Lalalalala.....  
  
Oh, yeah. She was trying to get a message through to Kage and then to Genso, I believe. Don't ask me. I don't remember! Bloody hell, you people....  
  
--------------  
  
  
  
Cursing quietly as she dodged the grabbing arms of the warped plants that reached out to grab and do unspeakable things to her, the lone maiden messenger was swift upon her quicksilver feet. She dodged with the years of experience granted her, her beautiful mahogany locks flying out behind her like fire.  
  
She seemed to fly through the hellish purple and black twisting maze that they had created for her. Of course they had known of her coming. They knew everything, didn't they? The message she carried grew ever more insignificant as the perverted landscape became more hazardous. Like an arrow true she sped through the dangers, but she was not as swift as some, and being built as a sprinter she quickly tired, something that signaled Death like vultures to rotting flesh.  
  
Sweat trickled from her face and her every limb, flying behind her like an ominous thundershower. With every clear teardrop she slowed just a bit, almost unnoticeably, but soon it became apparent. And the creatures of the awful realm sensed her exhaustion and flung out their poisonous claws that must quicker, scraping her smooth skin until the blood mixed with her sweat.  
  
But still she raced on. Her duty was clear. She must deliver her message. It was more important than she. She was expendable, only a life in service to something greater. The Divine was the only thing that mattered. Without Her... nothing was worth hope.  
  
"You slow, you slow! You will not make it out of here alive, dear girl!" The voice of her tireless pursuers rang in her ears. But it did not matter. Her message would be delivered! At any cost!  
  
Something flared upon her forehead and the ancient power granted her swelled up and with a dazzle of moonbeam wings erupted from her slims shoulders to propel her forward, yielding to her the speed of the lightning bolts that she had once held so very dear.  
  
Not yet, I haven't lost! Not yet! Her mind sang back to them, not bothering to look, for deep in the most forbidden part of her mind she knew that they were only toying with her, that she was but an insect trying to evade the human hand, that she would not win. Cat and mouse, and she was the mouse, a role she did not like and was not accustomed to.   
  
She dashed onward, until she knew she could go no further. She paused only slightly for a quick breath for one more desperate bound, and at the very second her foot touched the strange blood-colored earth, eight thick orange vines shot from every direction and captured her, squeezing her until she cried out.  
  
Her two tormenters appeared in the air at her face level as her leafy captor lifted her up. It stopped with a jerk and she cried out and her ribs gave into the pressure and broke with a popping sound that reminded her vaguely of a childhood toy cap gun. Her vision went hazy red around the edges but pure will kept her awake.  
  
"Well, well, well. Not so strong now, are we?" One of them-- Morpheus? Genso? Which was which?-- smirked smugly at her.  
  
She swallowed the pain and spat at him, uttering a curse for him with it.  
  
With a distasteful snarl, he wiped the offending salvia from his face and drew back, slapping her hard. Her neck nearly snapped and her vision flashed painfully.  
  
"Morpheus, you'll kill her."  
  
"There are plenty of them running about. What does one matter?"  
  
She felt her blood chill. Morpheus. The name held a stench with it, like the most abhorrent of curses. Cold-blooded, child-molesting, filthy monster, and she told him so.   
  
Genso looked at her, amused. "Is that what my pretty little assassin told you?"  
  
She only glared at him, her emerald eyes showing as much hatred as they had ever shown. Nasty beast, not human, how dare you harm a child, do you know who I am protected by?  
  
"Ha. We helped that crazy little bitch. Without us she would have been dead and worse. I made her the best. She should have thanked me." Unconsciously, his hand drifted to his abdomen, remembering the pain that had been there.   
  
Fuck you. Fuck you. You'll get yours. Monster. Monster. Tartarus is reserved for your kind. Monster. Murderer. Villain.  
  
Morpheus's lips curled again, in a smile so smug it was sickening. "Oh. Really. How many people do you think called your precious Serenity that? How the fuck do you think she got the title Haiiro-akurei? Because all they saw was a swift flash of silver-gray and then boom-- blood everywhere. She was a gray demon, a murderer, a monster. I don't think she could even tell you how many people she killed in either existence. Monster? You are too stingy with the word, sweet darling."  
  
Ha. There are no lines. I am no judge. Neither are you. You'll get yours. Serenity already had hers. Your turn, bastard. Your turn. Baby-killer.   
  
"And you look so capable of dealing justice." The vines squeezed even harder, and with a loud cracking pop, the rest of her ribs gave. She screamed, perhaps passed out for a second, but it couldn't have been long.  
  
She blinked, trying to clear the haze out of her vision.   
  
Fool. You stupid monster. What are you trying to do?  
  
Genso answered with all the relish of a victory. "Your precious monster-queen is immortal, love. But there are ways to kill the immortal." He laughed harshly.  
  
Confusion shone in her clouded jade eyes for the briefest moment, her thoughts murky from the blinding pain. Then, she knew. And it was just divertingly comical. Even through her agony she laughed, laughter verging on hysterical shrieks.   
  
"You.. you..." Was all she could manage. Her tears, partially from pain and partially from her laughs, steamed down her cheeks, mingling with blood.   
  
Genso looked baffled, but Morpheus's expression was one of complete irritation. "You're dying. What the hell is so fucking hilarious?" He snapped at her.  
  
Genso snorted. "She's hysterical. Let's just kill her and get this over with. We have other things to do. I don't want to waste my time on a raving woman."   
  
But Morpheus was intrigued. Senshi, especially not planetary senshi, were not known for hysteria.   
  
"You!" She cried at last. She drew a rickety breath and her chuckled stopped abruptly. "You think that killing me will weaken Serenity?! And I thought you two might actually be a threat! How stupid can you be? Killing me will only make her stronger! You claim to have trained her? Surely-- no, perhaps not. You never controlled her. How would you know? If you hate her you will never destroy her. Hate only makes her stronger. You-- you will never know, will you!?" She seemed genuinely surprised. Pain made her voice tremble but the words were true.   
  
"Serenity is something special. You just can't kill her by killing her friends. It's been done. And look see what happened to those who dared! They're dead. Dead dead dead. With hatred you feed your own weaknesses. With hate you make her stronger. You will only loose if hatred is all you know. When she killed you-- do you think it was out of hatred? Fool... you fools... it wasn't that... it was--"  
  
She paused, her beautiful green eyes reflecting an eternal pain. Her wings were shredded, her body broken, her hair tangled and her skin a mess of blood and tearwater. She had given up the physical fight, but she had won. They had lost. They would loose. She knew it then, she felt it, and if only she could tell Serenity....   
  
"ENOUGH!" Genso bellowed, and with one mighty flash of ki, he struck out at the very moment the vines tightened to nothing.   
  
A lifetime away, Mercury looked up from her computer, her face unreadable. She looked robotically to Rei.  
  
"Go inform the queen Jupiter has died."   
  
~'~  
  
  
Steel gray and holding something sharper than the quickest claw, her eyes captivated all who saw them. Just as before she had shown them her beauty, now she showed her merciless training. There was a cold fury about her than chilled anyone who came too close.   
  
None of this was lost over the 3D vidscreen. The broadcast was being cast on every channel, every radio wave, and every satellite. No one could miss it. Even her voice was hard, something that promised terror to her opposition.  
  
"The death of Senshi Jupiter will not go unpunished. The names of her murderers are ones well known to me, and it is my order that no one attempt to revenge this death for me. It is my duty, my obligation. Morpheus and Genso will be dealt with according to the age-old Lunarian laws of revenge.  
  
"I will make this a planet where justice reigns supreme! I guarantee you not safety, nor peace, nor health; I give you not impossible promises. I only swear to you that my best will be done, and that you, my people, will have justice. Justice! Justice is the hardest thing of all to come by, as it was in my time and is even yet more so today, in this world that is still new to me.  
  
"My systems, the systems my mother used and I shall base my system off, will not be fair. They will not give you miracles or change human nature. They will not have the flaws of democracy or the tyranny of dictatorship, but they will be true, and they will be just. Whatever comes of that, may it be peace, health, or Armageddon, it will come and no one will be able to say we did not go down fighting to the last, as Jupiter has done.   
  
"Her death was honorable." Venom flashed in her eyes. "Remember her for what she was, and what she would have been..."  
  
Duo reached over and turned the vid off. "She's really pissed."  
  
Heero's face was still, normal for him but there was something off about it. "No, I don't think she's angry. This isn't anger for her."  
  
Wufei snorted. "If she were angry this planet would be a dust cloud."  
  
"I want to argue with that." Quatre muttered. "But I'm not."  
  
There was a silence, and it was Duo, as usual, who broke it.  
  
"I'm going with her."  
  
"No way." Wufei immediately retorted.  
  
"Alright." Heero and Quatre said at the same time.  
  
Trowa, who had still not completely forgiven Duo, only glared.  
  
Duo shrugged. "I'm going. She already told me. She's taking just a couple of us with her, and I'm the only human tagging along. She needs everyone who can to stay here. We're still not out of the mud yet, remember." He sounded disturbingly mature, as unlike himself as any of them had ever seen him.  
  
Something foreign flashed in Heero's eyes, some hidden bit of emotion. Wufei saw it, as they all did. "Who else is going, Duo?" His voice was softer, somehow more human.   
  
"Sailor Venus, Uranus, Serenity, and me. Oh, yeah. And some guy named Mamoru. And the freaky little girls are supposed to pop in and out."  
  
"She did well. Venus is the strategy, Uranus is force and speed, she'd be power, and you're good at the things they're not, like blending in. Everything you need. Mercury might be needed, but they have the communicators." Quatre commented thoughtfully.   
  
"Who will take her place is she doesn't come back?" Trowa questioned, looking at them from behind his bang.   
  
There was a long, long pause as Duo hesitated. "She-- she said that on that possibility, the throne was to be given to Hotaru. The "other messiah", whatever that meant. She said it was the only reason Saturn wasn't coming."   
  
Wufei wanted to ask why. He wanted to know why Duo, why not one of the others, why not him? But he didn't, because he knew why. Deep inside, so deep it hurt to realize it, he knew why.  
  
"Good luck, Maxwell. You'll need it." He surprised them all by saying. "And so help me, if you get anyone killed, I'll dig you up and mutilate your body."  
  
Duo looked perturbed. "That's a little more inventive than you're supposed to be, Wufei."  
  
Wufei shrugged, even though even Heero was looking at him like he'd just grown another head. "So? There are things about me you'll never know, Maxwell. And don't think I'm joking. I will."  
  
"Alright, anyway!" Quatre changed the subject before a fight could break out. "She's just taking a group of four? Where are you going?"  
  
At this, Duo's face darkened and they were shocked to watch the instantaneous transformation it caused, making the boy of fifteen look ancient with a wisdom in those violet eyes that was terrifying.  
  
"We are to leave tomorrow. One reason she chose who she did is that she, Venus, and Uranus are the strongest senshi in their teleportation abilities. They will be able to take all four of us into a universe parallel to this one, technical name: Universe 24B18c, Code name: Fan Diverx, Nickname: Dark Kingdom. We will enter using the most hard to track magic and immediately find cover. After that, Usagi is going to hand out the rest of the mission. She says that she can not say it in this dimension because of the bugs they've planted here, and she told me all of that using a telepathic magic." He reported like a true profession soldier instead of the teenage guerilla he was.  
  
"Why are you telling us this, then?" Heero inquired, his face hard. He'd seen Duo like this before, the steel inside that was why G had let Duo flee with the gundam.   
  
"The bugs are solely made to track senshi flesh. The dark kingdom believes humans are too weak and stupid to be of much importance. If a senshi is not near I may speak freely." Duo answered. There was a second's pause and then he smiled. "By the way," he threw something small and pink at Wufei, "this is a communicator. You get daily phone calls from me and I get to babble as much as I want. Ha!"  
  
Trowa looked at Quatre the same time Quatre looked at him.  
  
"I'm sorry I asked." Quatre whispered. "Duo's scary."  
  
~'~  
  
  
  
Duo was awake at four in the morning. He went immediately to the courtyard and found Venus and Uranus waiting for him. Usagi was no where in sight.  
  
His pack was of medium size and jet-black leather, double stitched with steel-threaded silk, stuff that would never rip. He wore his usual clothing, a black button-up shit with a priest's collar, riding pants, also black, and his plain black cap. His braid was pinned up under the cap, and once he pulled the cap down low, he was indistinguishable from anything around him. His soft ivory skin was muted by some internal will of his own, and he could have made himself invisible, Venus felt, as she watched him approach.  
  
"I'm glad we're taking him." Uranus muttered. "He'll be invaluable."  
  
The love senshi nodded, agreeing whole-heartedly. She was not eager to run into a place that she was clueless about. The idea was enough to get adrenaline pumping through her veins, the bad sort of adrenaline that made her jittery.   
  
Duo, however, was deathly calm as he crossed the dew-soaked grasses, his hands resolutely in his pockets, his head down. He made no noise as he walked, and his step was as sure as any mountain goat's had ever been. Somehow, ever thought she the relation was ever so distant, he reminded her of Saturn at the warrior's best.  
  
Yes, she was very glad they were taking him.  
  
"Hey. Are you guys ready?" He asked, his voice as calm and quiet as his step.   
  
Venus gave him a V for Victory sign, smiling. "Yeah. I didn't think our subspace pockets where that big, but I've got everything I might need."  
  
Uranus rolled her eyes. "Hoo, boy, does she ever. I tell them both, just the necessities, and you better believe that when I went to look every single item in her room's been cleared out. Even that damn blanket."  
  
Venus looked thoroughly offended. "If you mean my custom-made orange and yellow feather down comforter, then you had better be apologizing, Haruka. And besides, Michiru said you had insisted on taking Pookykins." The senshi of love arched once delicately shaped eyebrow. "Just the necessities, huh?"  
  
Sailor Uranus colored to a nice, ripe eggplant. "POOKYKINS IS A TREASURED-- PRICELESS-- UNREPLACEABLE--" She yelled in her loudest whisper. "HOW DARE YOU FOUL POOKYKINS'S NAME?!"  
  
Duo looked at Uranus, bewildered. "What is a Pookykins?"  
  
"An eleven-foot tall stuffed kangaroo complete with pouch big enough for enough for Uranus to sleep in." Venus supplied an answer. "It's chenille."  
  
Uranus smiled. "I love my Pookykins." There was an edge to her voice that Duo did not dare argue with.   
  
"Are we ready to leave?"  
  
Usagi, clad in a pair of black pants and a gray top and a long black duster, her silver hair pulled severely behind her head into a tight knot, swept into the courtyard from a side entrance. Duo saw some of the weapons she had concealed about her, but knew he didn't see them all. She looked like a woman on a mission, her face not bothering to conceal the fury that boiled within her. Her steel control gave a chill to the air that made them all stand alert.   
  
"Yes, Serenity." Venus answered quietly. "We're ready to teleport."  
  
"Good." She took one of Duo's hands, and Venus took his other. Uranus closed the circle and there was silence.  
  
"You call it, Koneko." Uranus said, and then planted her feet firmly into the soft ground. Duo immediately tightened his grip.  
  
"Uranus Planet Power!"  
  
"Venus Crystal Power!"  
  
"Moon Eternal Power!"  
  
Duo flinched as pure energy began to flow to him, and with a shock he felt some part of his mind, a part he had never noticed before, open with a start and instead of being incredibly alien the power felt so very familiar, and to the blues, oranges, and silvers of light a distinct lavender thread, ever so pale, joined. The two senshi looked at him, startled.  
  
"Guess Hotaru didn't check as well as she thought." Uranus smiled.  
  
Serenity made no comment and did not look surprised. Instead, she looked rather like she had expected it. "Sailor Teleport!" She called out.   
  
Duo felt a popping in his ears, a swift breeze, and then the eeriest sensation that a million ghosts were tugging at his clothes.   
  
And instead of a lush rose garden, he stared past Uranus to see a warped landscape. He remembered pictures of the former United States after the nuclear wars with the Middle East, and those pictures were never more real than now.  
  
It was a wasteland. The sky was gray clouds with patches of a yellow-green green, the landscape barren and burnt, with lights of a warped city not very far away. Where they had appeared was the equivalent of a forest, with tall, blackened trees and a thick undergrowth of thorns and brambles and howls of creatures Duo couldn't even begin to identify.  
  
"Well, so this is hell. Why don't we try again?" Uranus muttered darkly.  
  
"This is where Jupiter was when she..." Venus sounded kind of choked.  
  
Usagi, however, began looking around. They stood in a roughly circular clearing about twelve feet in diameter. There was a canopy directly overheard, thick vines, which explained the clearing.  
  
"Alright, this is temporary headquarters." She said, after a moment. "We have to scope around for a couple of days or however long we need until we get the feel of this place." Duo already had the feel: there was something that chilled him to the very bone and he didn't like it. "I'll set things up. No fires, Duo. We don't have to eat very much, so that's mainly for you. If you get cold or need something heated, tell me and I'll show you a spell or two."  
  
Sailor Uranus dehenshined into a pair of camouflaged pants and a dark green T-shirt that had the sleeves ripped off. At the same time Duo pushed his sleeves up, just realizing how very hot it was.  
  
"You need to dehenshin too, Venus." Usagi instructed, and Venus did so immediately. "Your colors are too conspicuous. Yeah, that's better." Minako had been wearing dark coveralls and a gray shirt. All of them wore boots. "I'll stay here and start putting up the wards we'll need. You three look around. Bring back anything that looks remotely edible or like it might be of use, but don't eat or drink anything you find here. If you meet anyone or anything, kill it before it kills you, unless it seems peaceful enough. Try not to be seen."  
  
Minako frowned. "What kinds of edible?" She inquired.  
  
Usagi sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "Bulbs, tubers, berries, nuts, small animals... no mushrooms. They're tricky. I don't know, Minako. Just use your judgement. You should be able to distinguish food. But for the love of whatever deities favor us today, don't eat anything until you run checks on it with Ami's computer. If any of you die from poisoning I'll resurrect you just to kill you."  
  
Duo understood most of it was just said to make Usagi feel better. He didn't know about the others but it was common sense for him. His hand went for his weapon, but Usagi saw him.  
  
"No guns, unless you've got a silencer and really good night vision. This is as light as it gets here." She half barked.   
  
Duo flipped her a grin and pulled out the eight inch blade that Wufei had given him. The blade was a dark metal, one he had never seen before, and the handle some type of black stone carved into a dragon with green eyes. He showed it to them, and Haruka looked enviously as she welded her own sword.   
  
"I gotcha covered, Blondie. Besides, what to you call that Springfield you're sporting under that jacket?"  
  
She smiled. "Silencing spell. The bullet doesn't even whistle. I'll show it to you sometime."  
  
Venus wrapped her Love-Me chain once around her waist and tied it there snugly with a deceptively simple knot. From that she looped the now normal in appearance chain around her wrist twice and slung the rest of it over her back.  
  
"Now, you see, here's my advantage. I don't have to carry many weapons." She held up her fist and pointed her index finger to the sky. A sphere of golden energy formed above the tip. "It's all in the wrist."  
  
Usagi rolled her eyes.  
  
As if it were an unspoken cue, Uranus unsheathed her sword and disappeared into the brush, vanishing instantly. Venus followed after pinning her hair up.  
  
Usagi looked at Duo as she began dragging sleeping bags out of thin air. Duo dropped his own pack to the dusty earth. She looked up at him as he took a lightweight crossbow out of it and slung it over his shoulder. "I'm sorry to drag you into this, Duo."  
  
He shrugged. "Ah, I had nothing else to do. Besides, I want to get a good long look at the guys who did this to you before you rip their faces off. They deserve it."  
  
Usagi sighed painfully. "I don't know if I can do this, Duo. Yes, I've come this far. But I've already lost one senshi, and there's a good chance you three won't make it out either. I know I will, because I'm not allowed to die yet." She looked furious with herself. "I want Morpheus and Genso to die. I want them dead so very badly you just can't imagine it, Duo. Every step into this and I feel more and more like Ren, like the old Usagi, and it scares me. I don't want to become some indifference murderer again."  
  
"Usagi, if you kill me I won't mind." He batted his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, but Rei would. She's got a crush on you, you know."  
  
Duo feigned shock. "Oh, my broken heart! If only I had known! One last, tearful goodbye, one last passionate kiss beneath the stars before I had left, a whispered endearment and then I would be off, heroic and dashing, to fight the nightmares that threatens our world. I, Clark Kent--"  
  
Usagi laughed.   
  
"See?" Duo said. "I'm comic relief. And now, Daffy here has to go get us something perdiful to show off to the grandkids. Maybe a twelve point youma antler or something."  
  
Usagi shooed him off and he disappeared with a grin.   
  
It was a full three hours before anyone returned, and then finally, Haruka, whose clothing looked worse for wear, stumbled into the clearing. She glared at Usagi.  
  
"By the way, if a twelve foot fall furry thing wanders into this place tonight, don't be surprised. He's after me." I think he wants the arm I tossed down that gully back."  
  
Usagi shook her head. "Nothing but we four can get into this clearing without becoming a pile of moon dust. Watch: the insects are having a ball."   
  
Haruka paused. "Hey, you've got the wards up."   
  
Usagi nodded. "Yup. 68 degrees, slightly humid. Nothing bigger than half a cell can get in if it isn't one of us. I've got warning alarms for anything sentient that comes within a fifty foot radius. From outside the dome I created, which, by the way, sheds all precipitation and other things that could fall from the sky and stops bullets and arrows and et cetera, this place is just another patch of brush. I've got the sleeping beds out."  
  
"I've got a contribution." Haruka reached into her subspace pocket and brought out a large bag. She reached into it and threw something at Usagi, who caught it deftly.  
  
It was a piece of fruit, a rich golden sunrise color, a rounded, almost cone-like shape. It was soft and juicy, icy cool to the touch and glistened with a rose-colored juice.  
  
"Looks delicious." Usagi murmured, turning it over in her hands.  
  
Haruka sniffed. "It bloody well should be, after what I went though to fill this bag. About five k's southeast, there a huge patch of those fruit trees. But it only grows at the very top. Also is surrounded by lovely thorns."  
  
"Did you eat any?"  
  
"Ha. Sorry, Koneko, you're the immortal, not I. Besides, you're the one with the refined magic. You tell me if its poisonous and then I'll eat." Haruka stated adamantly.  
  
Usagi smiled at her. "Hardy har har, Ruka. Smartass." But she looked closely at the fruit, concentrating as she gazed into the beautiful color.  
  
"Eat up, Haruka." She said at last. "It won't kill you. In fact, it's quite safe. Like a big raspberry, only not." She bit into the squishy pulp and was overcome by the sensation upon her taste buds. It was a taste that she had never dreamed up.  
  
"I think I found the tree of knowledge." Haruka whispered dreamily, as she sucked the juice out of a piece. "This is better than anything on earth. I'm taking seeds back. Oh, yeah. Definitely worth risking life and limb. Michiru would love this."  
  
Duo and Minako returned a few minutes later, at about the same time, before Usagi and Haruka could eat more than their share of the divine discovery. It turned out that Minako had also found some of the fruit. She also had tubers and an assortment of berries and greens. Duo carried a small furry creature with six legs and four eyes and a short stubby tail and something tucked under his arm. Minako looked at him angrily until he showed her the claws.  
  
After Usagi had gone through the collections and thrown out what was good and what wasn't and Duo and Minako had attacked the fruits, Duo took out the parcel.  
  
"Look what I found. It was hanging off a tree." He unfolded it and it became a blood-stained shirt.  
  
Minako grabbed it. "Oh my god, this is raw silk. Good quality, too. I'd say it's about twelve years old, give or take a month, and these bloodstains are fairly recent. Give me a bottle of Tide and I could probably get them out. The hem's ripped a bit here, that's from brambles, but this right here is most definitely a laser burn, and this is from a nice. It's well worn, look, here's a patch. Good job, you can barely see it." She held it up to the dim light. "Judging by the wear marks, it was made by a small chested female, shorter than me by a few inches. Dark hair, look, here's a strand."  
  
Haruka looked to Duo, who looked to Usagi. Both wore identical expressions of astonishment. Usagi didn't look surprised at all.  
  
"Minako's a expert on clothing, what can I say?" She rolled her eyes.  
  
Minako shrugged, "Hey, I'm good at this kind of stuff. I'd say whoever left it there had just done so, Duo. It hasn't been left out in the weather for very long."  
  
Duo frowned. "I didn't see anyone."  
  
At that very moment, a red pyramid, six inches if a centimeter, appeared in front of Usagi's face. She waved it from the air and leapt to her feet. "Someone's close. Really close." Everything on the ground disappeared into subspace pockets immediately. Usagi made a motion to Duo meaning she'd placed his pack in her pocket as well.   
  
"Spread out. Signal when you see them." Usagi whispered, drawing out a beautiful crystal, double edged rapier. Haruka had her sword out instantly, and Duo took out his crossbow. Minako made her Love-Me Chain at the ready and they waited.  
  
"I tell you, Refu, I saw him. He was a fairychild, just like in the stories. He took the shirt I abandoned because of the stain. He moved like the geratta. Stop being an arrogant man." A sweet contralto murmured softly.  
  
"Lide, you're imagining things again. This is a dangerous time of day, and you've got us tramping around looking for a fantasy. What if we are caught? They do nasty things to renegades."  
  
Usagi, using telepathy again, Duo realized.   
  
"Hey, what was that? I saw something. Through here, Refu!"  
  
A pair of humanoids burst into the clearing, and the dome glimmered with a force field, an effective trap.   
  
They both looked very human. The girl was a couple of inches shorter than Minako, with dark curls and big dark eyes. She wore a simple pair of mud-colored pants and a shirt not unlike the one Duo had found. The boy was as tall as Usagi, lithe and also brunette. He wore a similar outfit.   
  
"Stay where you are." Usagi ordered in a steely English tongue that would have demanded respect from a god. "Keep your hands where we can see them. If you stay calm, you won't be harmed. I have erected a force field around us, so don't try to run." She raised her sword. "Turn around, slowly. To me. I'm the silver one."  
  
Duo smiled as he realized how accurate that was. He was dark in the dim light, Minako was golden, Uranus was a lighter yellow, more of a sandy shade. And Usagi was silver.  
  
The pair turned very, very slowly until they faced Usagi.  
  
"Now, what are your names, and what are you?" She demanded.  
  
"I'm Refu, and she is Lide. We're humans, of course." The boy answered, his voice resigned. "You've caught us. The last renegades. Want a medal?"  
  
Usagi looked amused. "Hardly, darling. We do not work for anyone in this world. My name is Usagi. The fairychild is Duo, the tall one was Haruka, and the girl was Minako. Welcome to our camp. Now, do tell me why there are humans in the dark kingdom, and why you're renegades, and what you're renegades from."  
  
But Lide hadn't heard any of it. "You're Usagi? Oh, I've heard so much about you from Kage! They caught him, of course. He was executed a fortnight and some ago. We're all from Teikai, Miss Usagi. Most of us ran when Teikai came to this place, and we're the last ones. They've caught and killed the others."  
  
"yippee." Minako muttered. "This place just keeps getting better and better."  
  
Refu was not as impressed. "There are lots of humans here. When Teikai first came here this place was indistinguishable from our earth. You can see what it's like now. And you haven't changed much at all, Ren."  
  
Usagi's brow furrowed. "I remember you." She said slowly. "You and I shared a few missions."  
  
Duo interrupted. "Hey, sorry, you two can reminisce later, Usa. We're here on our own mission. I never found an end to the forest and I went almost seven k's. They can tell us what we need to know about this Murkwood wannabe."  
  
"He's correct." Refu was cold and businesslike, and it gave Haruka a chill to think that the innocent girl she had always thought Koneko to be had been raised to be just as intense and indifferent as this young man, who in all truth looked no more than seventeen. It agitated her, made her feel like nothing could ever be right.   
  
Without warning, the girl became a new person, her face loosing a temporary smile and becoming closed and harsh.  
  
"If you are on a mission, Usagi-san, we can provide you with necessary information about the forest. And about the city and its inhabitants, and we will willingly disclose any of our knowledge to you."  
  
Usagi nodded. "There is no hurry. This mission is not time sensitive. We don't want to make any mistakes, for there will be no second chance. Have a seat and we'll tell you all about it. The sleeping bags and food reappeared, and Lide was offered a comfortable place wrapped up beside Minako in her comforter as Usagi began to explain the mission.  
  
"So Kage was right in assuming you weren't human, Usagi." Refu commented, after Usagi had finished the description.  
  
Duo shrugged, and bit into another piece of fruit. "Hey, who is, nowadays? I thought I was, but well... apparently..."  
  
Haruka snorted. "I don't know how you ever thought that, Duo." She was holding a raspberry poptart over her space sword gingerly, tapping the pastry against the blunt side of the charged blade which was hot to the touch. After a moment or so of this, it met her criteria for the Perfect Poptart. Minako withheld the giggle as the senshi of wind relished her poptart.  
  
"So you're going to kill them for good." Lide sighed. "I wish I were good enough to do it. I was only a secondary, a political assassin," she added, for the other's benefit. "and besides, they'd snap my neck like a twig."  
  
Refu nodded. "Kage was by far the best of us and Genso laughed him off. According to the sprites, it was Genso who finished off the girl-- Jupiter, you called her? I can call one of them if you want to know..."  
  
Haruka choked on her poptart and Minako opened her mouth to refuse vehemently, but Usagi held up her hand and silenced her.   
  
"No. I don't want to know."  
  
Refu grinned. "You'll at least want to hear she really gave them an earful. And that in the last moment she was calm and brave, and had complete confidence in you, Usagi. The sprites said that at first she wasn't so sure, but at the end..."  
  
"Mako-chan was a loyal person." Haruka said, after a few seconds. "She would have gone to the ends of the world for anyone... she insisted on it being her..."  
  
"What's done is done." Duo interrupted before it could turn into a "if only" fest.   
  
"The kid's right." Refu agreed. Duo bristled at the remark but said nothing. He had not yet calmed down yet, and the strange howls and screeches from the forest did not help. He saw Minako jump and felt a little sympathy. He was used to this; she was not.   
  
"The forest extends for hundreds of miles." Lide began, in a voice that was strictly business. "But if you start that way," she pointed straight east. "It only goes half a k or so. You could have probably seen the city lights from here if you'd gotten here at the lightest hour."  
  
Refu picked up. "The city is mostly youma, every single type and breed imaginable. There are some demons and other creatures, including every creature ever used to frighten small children. And there are a very small number of humans, mostly those brought here by youma to be fucktoys. Most, not all, will aid you. There are a few that enjoy being here." He looked faintly disgusted.  
  
Lide mirrored his look. "That's what they do with some of us that they've caught. Anyone you recognize, Usagi, go like stink for them. They'll help you, no matter what. In the very center of the city is the fortress where Genso and Morpheus live."  
  
"It will be extremely difficult to get to them without being sighted, but it's been done. Once you get there, there are dozens of demons on guard and a couple of magic wards. They're elementary stuff, though. Once you get inside, stay low and quiet. If you make any noise, go for your life. Get to the top floors, that's where they live." Refu smiled. "And then you'd better be able to fight."  
  
"They know magic very well now, Ren. It won't be as easy as it was before."  
  
Usagi gave Lide a dry look. "They rose from the dead. Yeah, I'd say they'd just about have to know magic very well. The undead tend to do that."  
  
Lide laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. Sorry, Ren. I'm just not used to all this yet. You'd think after so many decades you would be. But I was raised around humans, am a human, and well... you really never grow accustomed to bogeymen crawling about and bear-mutants going after you."  
  
Haruka perked up. "Oh, is that what it was? I did wonder, you know. After you get chased a kilometer or two, you do kind of wonder what is chasing you..."   
  
There was a long silence as Usagi concentrated, chewing on her bottom lip fitfully. Finally, she looked up.  
  
"I've got a plan."  
  
"Whoo hoo." Haruka muttered. "'Scuse me if I don't jig." 


	18. A Lake of Memory

The Reflection of a Soul  
chapt 18  
A Lake of Memory  
~-~  
  
Uhm... have fun? And review?  
  
  
  
"No. No, I don't like this. At all." Duo jumped to his feet and started backing   
away, shaking his head. "No way in hell. You're not going in alone."  
  
"I have to disagree." Refu contradicted. "Ren is the best strategian I've ever   
met. It's the only way that will work."  
  
"I know!" Duo fumed. "But-- I can't let her--"  
  
Haruka took a deep breath, trying to ease the searing pain in her breast.   
"They're right, Duo."  
  
Minako nodded, and she looked as pained and Haruka felt. "We'll do it Usagi's   
way." She affirmed.   
  
Lide looked ecstatic. "Alright, then. You guys get ready. Let's do this before   
reason sets in, alright?"  
  
Twenty minutes later, they were ready. Venus and Uranus stood with brilliantly   
colored senshi fukus adorned, Duo held Usagi's Springfield and a machete, and   
Refu and Lide both held crossbows with knives tucked away.  
  
Usagi was clothed in a black catsuit and a long trenchcoat of the same hue. She   
carried only a rapier made of moon-crystal, but there was an entire arsenal   
hidden safely inside her subspace pocket. She had cast a spell around herself   
that made her indistinguishable from her surroundings at the pronunciation of a   
single word.  
  
"Alright. Is everything packed and in a pocket? Good. Let's move out, people, we   
have a city to destroy." She didn't look like she about to risk the lives of her   
only friends and her own, or like she was trekking into a certain suicide. She   
was uncannily calm, focused and a completely different person. In her eyes were   
a glimmer of apathy, a whisper that she would complete her mission at any cost.  
  
Venus remembered it. Venus remembered standing at her princess's side a lifetime   
ago, offering her power to the crescent moon wand as that steely grip welded the   
power that destroyed Beryl. It had been that look. That intense look.  
  
"You two will go in first, Lide, as the so called distraction. Make it bloody,   
Refu. You two will sneak in seconds later and be spotted. They're youma, dumb   
enough to think the distraction was for two colorful senshi. I'll go scenic and   
go in. They won't see me. Duo, you're going to be Plan B. If someone starts to   
look around for me, get spotted really quick. Three red herrings should fool   
them. Keep them busy until they're dead or I come running. If they're dead and   
I haven't come back yet, head for the palace. If it's rubble or I'm dead, run   
for dodge and get the hell out."  
  
"But you can't die, Usagi." Duo reminded her cheerfully.  
  
She looked at him. "Death's a fickle creature, Duo. You can never be sure. You   
of all people should know that."  
  
~"~   
  
  
  
Lide crept silently past the gates, following the well-worn yet invisible path   
that the renegades took into the ghastly city of youma and demons. At best, she   
could choke down the shivers that threatened to run down her spine.  
  
She could hardly believe that the infamous Ren had returned to Teikai. Kage and  
the others told stories of her daring and skill, the youma moaned of her sword   
and her magic and Morpheus raged of her victories. And here she was... in the   
service of a goddess.   
  
"Refu, how far into the city should we go?" She hissed to the young man at her   
side.  
  
Refu was not her lover. At times, she wished that he were, but he was too much   
of a loner and besides, in the ageless years they had spent together, Lide found   
wryly that neither of their tastes were inclined towards the other. But still   
she could be lonely.  
  
"Far enough to make it look real." He answered, matching her discreet tone.   
  
Once they were a good half-mile into the city, where the creatures were thick,   
but not overwhelming, they decided it was far enough.  
  
Yes, that's good. She heard Ren's voice inside her head and almost started. She   
felt Refu tense and knew he heard it too. Venus, Uranus, go now! Head for a   
place southeast of where they are. Make it good, girls and boys. Refu, Lide,   
you've got ten minutes and then GET OUT. That's when Uranus and Venus will be   
discovered. I'm heading out now as well. I'll go invisible. And there's a bit   
of change... Duo's coming with me. There was a pause. At least someone will live  
to tell the tale.  
  
One of the senshi must have commented something harsh.  
  
Oh, shut up. You should know by now that nothing's ever for sure. Shut up and do   
this right and maybe we'll all live to see the Utopia I'm gonna make. All right,   
troops, let's do this!  
  
"There's a small troop headed our way." Refu whispered carefully. "Let's surprise   
them."  
  
Lide nodded and unsheathed the beautiful sword that Venus had lent to her. Refu   
took out a long dagger, almost eleven inches and made of a beautiful green metal   
soaked in a poison deadly to any but humans. It would serve him well.  
  
As the demon troop passed beside them, the two warriors leapt out.  
  
The first drops of orange blood bespattered the dirt with a screech from Hell,   
followed by a torrent of violet and red.   
  
~'~  
  
  
  
"So, you do this all the time?" Duo was panting, trying to keep up with Usagi as   
she darted around corners and jumped onto ledges. She didn't mind having to wait   
and sometimes give Duo a hand-up. She realized mildly that if she weren't fated   
otherwise, it would be quite easy to fall in love with Duo.  
  
She paused on a rooftop, listening. "Used to. Refu and Lide just cut out and   
Venus and Uranus have been found." She pointed. "We're not that far now."  
  
The looming towers of the castle could be seen against the gray-green gloom of   
midday. They sent a shiver of adreniline through Duo as he squinted to make them   
out.   
  
She seemed to be waiting for him to catch his breath. "Strange, you know. I   
thought I had seen those spires for the last time, and now, here I am, returning   
to their beckoning willingly. Irony loves to play with me."  
  
"I'll never be surprised at that." Duo retorted. "You really are a roach." They   
continued forward now, at a more leisurely pace, double checking each stone   
before advancing a step; they could not afford to be discovered now.  
  
It was a few seconds before Duo spoke again, until Usagi paused once more. "They   
know we're here." He stated softly.  
  
Usagi shook her head. "They know I'm here," she admitted. "but not you. Not yet."  
She chanced a glance back at him, and he was surprised at the mirth in her eyes.  
"You see, they sense me because no matter how I try, I can't conceal all the   
power around me. But you, you're powerful, but not so much as you stand out from   
the youma. But I wouldn't like to see you angry: your power amplifies."  
  
"Power?" Duo looked at her like she was mad. "Usagi, I'm mostly human. I don't   
have any."  
  
Usagi chortled softly. "That's what I thought, too."  
  
Duo reached out for her arm to keep her from moving, as she a about to do. "What   
does that mean? Usagi?" He cursed as she slipped from his grip. "Damn you."  
  
"Uh, wait in line. You're a nine-digit number, so you'd better get comfortable."  
  
"Not funny."  
  
"Really?" Her eyebrows rose. "I thought so."  
  
Duo shook his head at her and followed her up to a short wall that went around   
the fortress. She crouched behind it and he mimicked her, holding his head as a   
patrol of ugly, strong-looking youma passed by. Usagi didn't seem to notice them,  
she was busy working on something in her lap. He wanted badly to ask her what   
the hell was suddenly so damned important that the patrols of beasts from the   
pits of the darkest hell were insignificant to, but as these very creatures were   
passing hair's width from his face he dared not whisper, nor even breathe.   
  
After four of such patrols had passed she finally straightened up and looked   
around.  
  
"Thanks for waiting." She whispered so quietly she was mouthing the words.   
"Here." She dangled something from her hand to him, but in the dark he couldn't   
make it out. It was some kind of pendant on a necklace of thin, unbreakable   
silver metal.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
She slowly climbed to her feet and peeped over the edge of the wall. She ducked   
back down quickly. "A teleporter. It will help you."  
  
"How sweet of you. Give him your one way out. I always thought it was interesting  
how you protected the innocent."  
  
Usagi cursed as a blue green magic surrounded them. She didn't have to look up   
to know it was Morpheus. She muttered something under breath and the magic was   
pushed away with a brighter, silver once.  
  
"Mine's stronger." She glowered at the handsome king above her. Morpheus, Duo   
noted, wore an expression that was concocted from anger, amusement, and utter   
terror. He saw the evil man try to hide his emotion and failed, and that only   
seemed to increase the anger.   
  
And for the first time in his short, troubled like, Duo was amazed to find he   
was afraid, and yet, despite this, he also felt so very safe. The darkness that   
had hibernated beneath his thought ever since he could remember was awake and   
wary. A whole new level was added to his perception, and he found himself staring  
at Usagi from the corner of his eye, seeing her in a very new way, all humor   
gone from his mind.  
  
Before she had been a beautiful fairy queen, and he had only seen that. But as   
he looked at her now he knew why Morpheus was in desperate danger of loosing all   
control of his bladder.   
  
She was no longer pretty. She was a terrible goddess with lovely features etched   
like marble. Her silver gray eyes flashed forebodingly, her lips, a delicate   
coral, were set hard and dark. Her hair had come undone with her display of   
sorcery and whipped about her, moon-pale strands moved by power and wind.  
  
She didn't look angry or anxious, but as though her entire life had been lived  
for this one moment and she knew that she had the complete control here. Duo knew  
why Serenity was such a revered name and why even Haruka was wary of Usagi's   
wrath. He actually felt sympathy for Morpheus.  
  
"Ren, Ren, my precious." Morpheus offered her a strong hand gloved in white. "It   
doesn't have to be like this. Come back with me. You'll sit on my throne and   
rule a country worthy of you, my assassin once more." Beneath the arrogance of   
his voice was a note of fear and simple desperation.  
  
Duo knew then he did not want to fight Usagi. He was as afraid of her as any of   
her victims, and knew he would loose. But he had underestimated her mentality.  
  
Duo started back as Usagi reached out with a graceful hand and grasped the larger  
one. Morpheus straightened and relaxed and began to pull her up into the air.   
He was stopped when she wouldn't move. Her hand tightened around his and he   
flinched and looked into her steel-colored eyes.  
  
"Oh, dearest Morpheus, I think it does have to be like this." The faintest   
radiance of blue fire shimmered about her, making her seem even more godly. "You   
are not a good man, Morpheus. You are a monster in a man's form." Terror began   
to work into his face.   
  
"No, no-- Ren-- Princess-- don't--" He began to wail as her grip tightened even   
more and Duo jumped at the sound of cracking bones and Morpheus's scream.  
  
"I shall, Morpheus, Master." She spat the word out like it was vile on her   
tongue. "I should have killed you. I should have." The words were harsh in her   
pretty voice. "You made a sweet little girl disappear when you crafted this   
warrior. Perhaps if you had foresight you would have left her, for we both know   
like a foolish, lovely child she would have had mercy on you."   
  
The stonework around them began to shake and tremble at her anger and Morpheus   
still floated above them, his hand hopeless caught in hers even as silver   
lightning began to crackle from her arm to his, shocks of agony that made him   
scream.  
  
"I banish your soul. You will be reborn a thousand times and live the lives of  
the children you destroyed. You will live everything you gave to another, a   
thousand times. I curse you to call one like yourself master and feel the   
punishment he will deal. And now, you will die."  
  
And he did. With one final shriek to acknowledge the horror he felt, he died and   
fell with a sickening thud onto the dirty stone, blood leaking from the corner   
of his mouth and his unseeing eyes still twisted with fear.  
  
Usagi let go of the hand. It fell to the stone in one seemingly endless motion,  
one that Duo would remember in his old age when he had gotten nearly everything   
else.   
  
"Well-- that was interesting." He commented weakly.  
  
Usagi spun around. She had forgotten he was there, and some part of her curled up  
with horror he had seen that part of her. But she couldn't act that. She   
couldn't.  
  
"Well, we still have to get to Genso; don't dance yet. Morpheus was weak and a   
fool as is Genso, but Genso is clever. He'll find a way to hurt me as I did him."  
  
Duo looked up at her. She suddenly seemed so tall. "Wasn't that Jupiter? What   
was her death for? Why--" He stopped himself before he could ask the next   
question, but Usagi knew.  
  
"Her death was not futile. I did not send her on a suicide mission without a   
just cause. Duo, whether you know it yet or not you have the blood of a senshi   
running through you, stronger than it should be. I don't understand it and I   
don't think anyone else could. The death of a senshi releases all the power of   
the senshi into that world. Feel the air, Duo. Jupiter knew why she came, and   
she knew why she had to die."  
  
Duo closed his eyes. He did feel a humming in the air, a tingling in the wind   
as just before a lightning storm. His eyes snapped back open and looked at Usagi,  
questioning.  
  
I don't understand.  
  
For a single moment, he saw her. The power in the air surged through him and he   
felt a whisper shove him into Usagi, and he saw her mind, her pain, her feelings  
and her tears.   
  
"She volunteered to be a courier just so she would die?" He asked incredulously,   
as the meaning of what he had seen hit home. Usagi forced him out of her head and  
nodded.   
  
"She knew I needed an edge over them. Without her I would not have been able to   
do to Morpheus what I just did. In this universe there is nothing for me to draw   
upon, but with her presence here she is a link between this dark world and our   
world."  
  
There was a loud crash and a series of screams, followed by the sound of tinkling   
glass and a gunshot. The gunshot was most remarkable of them, but Usagi didn't   
seemed to realize.  
  
"Our presence has been noted. We should go. And I swear to you, Mako-chan, if you  
ever do that again, I'll dig you up and kill you all over again."  
  
I didn't, Usagi-chan. He did it himself, and drew on me to do so. What is he,   
Usagi-chan? Usagi could hear Makoto whispering underneath her mind, and the   
words disturbed her.  
  
Have I underestimated him, Mako-chan?   
  
In all the time I have known you, you have never done such a thing. But this   
time-- perhaps....  
  
Usagi cleared her head and looked at Duo carefully. He honestly looked like he   
could unconsciously conceal such a power as great as Saturn's, but she couldn't   
be sure. Whenever she tried to probe into his mind, she was shut out by deep,   
powerful emotion.  
  
He allowed her to take his hand and pull him up a wall that she had stepped onto   
even though the action was impossible. But who was to say there was such a word   
when Usagi was there?   
  
They were on another sentry level, with one patrol reading straight for them.   
Duo saw it was made up big, ugly, half-beast creatures that looked fully capable   
of making a hole in solid gundanium with only their fist. Usagi muttered a   
curse, took Duo by his forearm, and suddenly they were on the other side of the   
wall.   
  
She was muttering all sorts of awful things now. "Oh, shit a fucking brick side-  
ways, he's gonna notice that, goddamnit we're screwed..." She kept muttering,   
taking him through solid walls and around corners that had not been there a   
second ago and under archways that seemed to heighten themselves to allow them   
passage.  
  
Duo didn't know if she were doing it on purpose, or if the walls did it   
themselves, but whatever it was, it was more than a little unsettling. He   
jumped every single time the stonework moved. He couldn't help it, after all.   
But Usagi, who'd been raised once under such an environment, didn't even   
notice.   
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked gently, when they came to a stop beside   
a corner.   
  
He glared back at her, his violet eyes flashing angrily in the darkness. "The   
bloody walls and ceiling are doing the salsa and you expect me to not wonder   
if I'm tripping?"  
  
She smothered her laugh quickly, for she could hear the scratching footsteps   
of youma near. "It's just Teikai, Duo. Ignore it." Duo remained silent until   
the sentries had passed.   
  
"Yeah. Sure." He rolled his eyes as she darted around the corner, her hand   
around his arm. He was about to follow but her exclamation stopped him as her   
hand let go of his quickly and abruptly.  
  
"U-usagi!" Duo froze, still out of sight. The voice was presumably male, and   
terrified.   
  
Usagi was surprised but covered it well. Her only thought was that Genso could   
not see Duo. "Ah, Genso. The man of the hour. Just the person I wanted to see.   
How's your afterlife been? Want to go visit all those people in Tartarus that   
I'm sure you got acquainted with during your time there?"  
  
Duo realized that if he closed his eyes, he could see the man though Usagi's   
eyes. Tall, and handsome. But there was something in the depths of the man's   
eyes he did not like. Duo decided he needed to be dead, at that moment.   
Shinigami felt something that needed to die in that man's aura.  
  
Even though his instincts demanded he appear and kill the unknown demon known as   
Genso, Duo stayed put. He felt that Usagi would not be pleased if he interrupted   
now.   
  
He was right. Usagi was busy trying to remember if this was the corridor that   
opened into Hell or if it was the next, all while slowly lifting up her shields   
so that Genso didn't notice. Genso was too busy trying to keep talking he   
couldn't have noticed it anyway. but she wasn't ready to take any chances. Genso   
might do something desperate, and that was the last thing she wanted.  
  
"Usagi, dear, now you don't want to do anything drastic to your old friend, do   
you?" Her eyes narrowed.   
  
"Coward. Just as before, you plead for your life. Remember what you taught me?   
The more they plead the more they suffer. Why should I make an exception for   
you?" Her anger was rising, and the thoughts of Duo leaving to make room. Genso  
knew this, and he could actually feel the heat in the air. He took a step back,   
his mind racing to find any way out of this.  
  
"You've already killed me once. Why do it again?"   
  
She smirked. "Because this time I make it so you never come back."  
  
It was her eyes. Her eyes, her broken, child's eyes, her eyes that had so many   
levels and depths and right then he knew them all. He could see the hidden baby,   
sobbing and alone, in a room, covered in her own blood.   
  
He could see the little girl, proud and afraid, trying to keep her chin up and   
the tears away while she was kicked, over and over and over, in the ribs.  
  
It was the preteen, biting through her lip, savoring the taste of blood in her   
mouth because anything was better than thinking about the man raping her.  
  
And there she was, at all, ages, at new stages of pain and violation. And   
beneath it all was a single strand of strength that scared him. It terrified him   
like he was a little baby. It was something hideous and unbreakable, something   
so hot and blazing that it burned to look at it.  
  
He was so scared.  
  
That one, long look into her bottomless eyes broke the last strands of dignity   
and pride that held him together and he collapsed to his knees, moaning   
something in his native Italian, sobbing it out, pleading for the soul he no   
longer had.   
  
Duo listened. He knew enough of the pretty language to get the gist, and the   
more the man confessed, thinking in some perverted way that Usagi was the Virgin   
Mary, the more Duo controlled his urge to vomit with increasing difficulty. What   
kind of monster would do these things, things that shocked him after all he'd   
seen and been through... what kind of god would create this monster...  
  
Usagi listened for a moment with cold, unnerving eyes. She cut him off with a   
narrowing of her lips. "Give me your gun." It took Duo a moment to realize she   
spoke to him. Wordlessly he tossed her the semi-auto. There was no way a gun was  
going to kill this one. But she didn't seem to be concerned with that. Her   
attention was solely on the man who was now so scared he couldn't even force   
himself to form the words to plead for his life anymore.  
  
"You don't deserve the honor of a magical death. You don't deserve to die at my   
hands." She stated coldly, aiming expertly at his head. The gun began to glow   
slightly. "But it's the only way I can keep you dead. The moon's mistress curses   
you."  
  
One bullet. One bang. That's all it was. It was almost unfitting, definitely   
anti-climatical, and yet completely right.   
  
"You're right." Dup said, stepping around the corner to survey the damage.   
  
The gun clattered to the stonework of the floor and Usagi turned and fled into   
his arms. He hugged her tightly.   
  
"You were right in this." He whispered to her soothingly. "He didn't deserve any   
better."  
  
Usagi looked at the crumpled body, dark blood running in rivulets in the cracks   
of the stone. He nodded, but she cried anyway. She let Duo lead her out of the c  
astle, not caring how he knew the way, and to the waiting senshi.  
  
Tomorrow, she would be herself again.  
  
  
  
A hundred years later, people would look up at the beautiful crystal palace on   
Earth and think of their quiet, elegant queen and her guardians, both senshi and   
the seemingly mortal men, rumored to once have been soldier in the great war of   
the Alliance, and they would not imagine that once the peace was in danger, and   
this woman, fearsome and beautiful, had saved them all more than once.  
  
But she had. And while perhaps in the minds of mortal men it was forgotten, as   
some things are, all who lived the palace never forgot, and neither did the gods   
or time.  
  
Sometimes, the reflections of a single soul are enough to fill a lake of memory.   
  
  
~-~  
  
*peeks out from behind her computer screen, looking baffled* Am I done? Is this   
done? I don't believe it... is it really? This just might be a first...  
  
*waves to her readers* Well, I don't know what to say, really. This just might be   
one of the few... okay, four fics I've finished. *wide eyes* I don't believe it.  
I just don't...  
  
Anyway, go read Changed Destiny! And then wait for the sequel! Read Lover's Last  
Breath! Read my other fics, please! Go to ASMR and read my stuff there! (Black   
Rose and Black Beyond and Cosmic! Under no exception read the stuff I wrote as  
Lita Juno. When I say it sucks I'm not kidding!)  
  
Yeah, I'm done with the plugging. And to everyone who reviewed, I love you guys!  
Even though I'm a bit ticked I only got FOUR REVIEWS on chapt 17. Okay, I'm   
really ticked. Anywho...  
  
Love you all anyway. Adeiu. Parting is breif and sweet and oh so sad.... 


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